Dynamic Earth Models for Frontier Mineral Exploration. This Project aims to investigate the link between supercontinents, mantle upwelling, and associated mineral resources by combining reconstructions of mantle flow with the global rock record. Mantle upwelling causes eruptions of volcanic provinces and associated rock formations that are rich in minerals. The expected outcomes of the Project include mapping the global potential for magmatic nickel, rare-earth elements, and diamond deposits fro ....Dynamic Earth Models for Frontier Mineral Exploration. This Project aims to investigate the link between supercontinents, mantle upwelling, and associated mineral resources by combining reconstructions of mantle flow with the global rock record. Mantle upwelling causes eruptions of volcanic provinces and associated rock formations that are rich in minerals. The expected outcomes of the Project include mapping the global potential for magmatic nickel, rare-earth elements, and diamond deposits from 1.8 billion years ago and building a research alliance between the University of Wollongong, Anglo American, and De Beers. Significant benefits will be the development of a digital framework to reduce risks in exploration for minerals that are essential for the transition to a low-carbon economy.Read moreRead less
Thermal Optimisation of Gigascale Solar Photovoltaics. Large-scale solar photovoltaics are critical to decarbonising the global economy. Sun Cable is developing the world’s largest solar farm in the Northern Territory, and is considering deploying the 5B MAV solar array. At this scale, temperature-induced panel efficiency losses represent a major challenge that must be overcome through thermal performance optimisation. We will build sophisticated multiscale models to simulate and understand the ....Thermal Optimisation of Gigascale Solar Photovoltaics. Large-scale solar photovoltaics are critical to decarbonising the global economy. Sun Cable is developing the world’s largest solar farm in the Northern Territory, and is considering deploying the 5B MAV solar array. At this scale, temperature-induced panel efficiency losses represent a major challenge that must be overcome through thermal performance optimisation. We will build sophisticated multiscale models to simulate and understand the multiple interacting phenomena that cause panel heating, for the first time. This project will create the tools and know-how to optimise array design and solar farm development, delivering major efficiency gains and enhancing the viability of future gigascale solar projects.Read moreRead less
Robust and Scalable Autonomous Landing for Drones. The aim of this project is to develop a transformative robust and scalable autonomous landing system for drones. This is the critical missing technology needed to unleash exponential growth in a potentially enormous drone delivery industry by enabling a multitude of applications to deliver goods and supplies via drones to a wide range of destinations in Australia and the world in a timely, flexible and accurate manner. Such an autonomous landi ....Robust and Scalable Autonomous Landing for Drones. The aim of this project is to develop a transformative robust and scalable autonomous landing system for drones. This is the critical missing technology needed to unleash exponential growth in a potentially enormous drone delivery industry by enabling a multitude of applications to deliver goods and supplies via drones to a wide range of destinations in Australia and the world in a timely, flexible and accurate manner. Such an autonomous landing solution would revolutionise drone technology, and propel Australia to the forefront of technology innovation. This project would benefit not only large scale delivery by drone in urban and suburban areas of Australia but also long distance delivery via drone to remote areas of Australia.Read moreRead less
Accelerating pulse breeding using machine learning. Advances in genomics and high throughput phenotyping are generating vast quantities of data that can be applied for crop improvement, however the lack of computational analysis tools and approaches limits the full exploitation of this data. Pulse legumes are currently under utilised in Australian agriculture due to poor adaptation, however they offer significant benefits both for soil improvement and the production of high protein crops. This p ....Accelerating pulse breeding using machine learning. Advances in genomics and high throughput phenotyping are generating vast quantities of data that can be applied for crop improvement, however the lack of computational analysis tools and approaches limits the full exploitation of this data. Pulse legumes are currently under utilised in Australian agriculture due to poor adaptation, however they offer significant benefits both for soil improvement and the production of high protein crops. This project will develop machine learning (ML) tools for the analysis of pulse legume crop traits and their association with genomic variation to accelerate the breeding of high performance pulse legumes for Australian growers.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
Reconstructing land tenure maps of Australia in 3D. Existing land tenure maps of above and below ground, such as apartment ownership, tunnels, and mining, are maintained using 2D drawings. However, the drawings are not structured and valuable for detailed and advanced visualisation, analytics, and simulation, which are essential for testing potential interventions and policy development. This project aims to develop a data validation framework for transforming current drawings and reconstructing ....Reconstructing land tenure maps of Australia in 3D. Existing land tenure maps of above and below ground, such as apartment ownership, tunnels, and mining, are maintained using 2D drawings. However, the drawings are not structured and valuable for detailed and advanced visualisation, analytics, and simulation, which are essential for testing potential interventions and policy development. This project aims to develop a data validation framework for transforming current drawings and reconstructing them into 3D models. The outcomes include validation principles, formal mathematical terms, and computational algorithms. Benefits include a cost-effective onshore alternative to offshore 3D reconstruction practices, efficient land development and infrastructure planning, and fewer property disputes.Read moreRead less
Structural Reliability of Engineering Structures in Cyclonic Winds. This project aims to address the challenge of predicting the impact of extreme cyclonic winds on complex engineering structures. By applying advanced computational and experimental techniques the project expects to develop new insight into turbulent flows at a sub-cyclone scale and how these produce aerodynamic loads on closely spaced cylindrical structures and elements. The expected outcomes of this project include enhanced sim ....Structural Reliability of Engineering Structures in Cyclonic Winds. This project aims to address the challenge of predicting the impact of extreme cyclonic winds on complex engineering structures. By applying advanced computational and experimental techniques the project expects to develop new insight into turbulent flows at a sub-cyclone scale and how these produce aerodynamic loads on closely spaced cylindrical structures and elements. The expected outcomes of this project include enhanced simulation techniques leading to better understanding of structural vulnerability to cyclones. This should provide significant benefits, such as improved structural design and cyclone mitigation strategies applicable to both high-value engineering structures and vulnerable communities in cyclone regions.Read moreRead less
Sewer corrosion reduction through model-supported ventilation control. Ventilation is one of the key technologies for sewer corrosion control. However, its design and operation are currently based on experience and empirical equations, often leading to unsatisfactory results. By integrating in-depth laboratory and pilot-sewer studies under defined conditions with extensive field investigations, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop critical models to predict the corrosion process in res ....Sewer corrosion reduction through model-supported ventilation control. Ventilation is one of the key technologies for sewer corrosion control. However, its design and operation are currently based on experience and empirical equations, often leading to unsatisfactory results. By integrating in-depth laboratory and pilot-sewer studies under defined conditions with extensive field investigations, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop critical models to predict the corrosion process in response to ventilation and dynamic wastewater and atmospheric conditions, enabling model-based sewer ventilation design and operation. The project also aims to deliver novel, field-demonstrated ventilation strategies. The project findings will be incorporated in the Australian ventilation design and operation guidelines.Read moreRead less
Microstructural-Functional Effect of Silver Diammine Fluoride on Apatites. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding at the nanostructural level of the factors that contribute to the enhanced mineralisation and mechanical properties of dentine and enamel following the treatment with silver diammine fluoride (SDF). A variety of advanced nanomechanical, tomographic and microscopic techniques will be used to characterise sound, carious and SDF treated tissue. The new biomechanical ev ....Microstructural-Functional Effect of Silver Diammine Fluoride on Apatites. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding at the nanostructural level of the factors that contribute to the enhanced mineralisation and mechanical properties of dentine and enamel following the treatment with silver diammine fluoride (SDF). A variety of advanced nanomechanical, tomographic and microscopic techniques will be used to characterise sound, carious and SDF treated tissue. The new biomechanical evidence on the underlying mechanisms, alternative protocols, delivery systems enable to optimise the treatment. The scientific insights into arresting/repairing damage processes will provide critical data for developing minimal intervention protocols for pediatric and geriatric populations.Read moreRead less
Engineering new tools to aid structure determination of membrane proteins. This project aims to address the inherent instability of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are cell-surface proteins that are a major drug targets. The instability of GPCRs has resulted in a lack of atomic-level structural information that has hindered structure-based drug discovery efforts. This project expects to develop tools to improve GPCR stability and streamline the structure determination process. Project ....Engineering new tools to aid structure determination of membrane proteins. This project aims to address the inherent instability of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are cell-surface proteins that are a major drug targets. The instability of GPCRs has resulted in a lack of atomic-level structural information that has hindered structure-based drug discovery efforts. This project expects to develop tools to improve GPCR stability and streamline the structure determination process. Project outcomes are intended to lead to significant advances in membrane protein structure determination and will have a substantial impact on future research in the pharmaceutical industry.Read moreRead less