Creation of functional surfaces for biodevices and aerospace applications. Polymers are poised to become the materials of choice for a host of applications because of their lightness, strength, ease of forming and biocompatibility. The major challenge lies in optimising their surfaces for each application. For biodevices in particular, the surfaces must support a range of complex and specific interactions. This project will create new polymer surface modifications through innovations in plasma s ....Creation of functional surfaces for biodevices and aerospace applications. Polymers are poised to become the materials of choice for a host of applications because of their lightness, strength, ease of forming and biocompatibility. The major challenge lies in optimising their surfaces for each application. For biodevices in particular, the surfaces must support a range of complex and specific interactions. This project will create new polymer surface modifications through innovations in plasma science and technology. The outcomes will be new surfaces for diagnostic arrays in medicine, biosensors and durable polymer surfaces for low earth orbit.Read moreRead less
Beyond Microarrays: Nano-Scaled Devices for High Throughput Biomolecular Sensing. Current developments in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology hold many promises in terms of revolutionising our industrial base, transforming biology, medical science and practice. This project strives to achieve some of these aims by, for the first time, building and testing nano-scaled devices with the capability to 'read' massive amounts of biological information. With the recent completion of the Human Genome proje ....Beyond Microarrays: Nano-Scaled Devices for High Throughput Biomolecular Sensing. Current developments in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology hold many promises in terms of revolutionising our industrial base, transforming biology, medical science and practice. This project strives to achieve some of these aims by, for the first time, building and testing nano-scaled devices with the capability to 'read' massive amounts of biological information. With the recent completion of the Human Genome project, major opportunities exist to provide spectacular advances in human health care (eg, via personalised medicine) provided that appropriate high-throughput biological reading devices can be developed. In developing such devices, this project also aims to substantially catalyse the Australian Nanotechnology/Biotechnology industry.Read moreRead less
Nanoengineered Colloids and thin films through self-assembly with potential applications in Bioscince and Nanotechnology. The proposed research program will focus on the preparation, characterisation and application of novel, small (nanometer size) particles and thin (micrometer thick)films derived from such particles. These new and advanced materials will be prepared by usinf a recently developed, highly versatile and facile technology to coat particles in solution. The strategy to be used en ....Nanoengineered Colloids and thin films through self-assembly with potential applications in Bioscince and Nanotechnology. The proposed research program will focus on the preparation, characterisation and application of novel, small (nanometer size) particles and thin (micrometer thick)films derived from such particles. These new and advanced materials will be prepared by usinf a recently developed, highly versatile and facile technology to coat particles in solution. The strategy to be used entails the step-by-step construction of well-defined layers of different composition on particles and flat surfaces, thereby allowing unprecendented control over the material properties and function. This will provide new avenues for the application of nanoscale materials in biotechnology and nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Optical Semiconductors for next-generation lasers, optical processors, and integrated optical chips. We are on the verge of an optical processing revolution. The silicon industry evolved from valves to transistors and finally to processors - Optical processing is the next step in the evolution of lasers from gas to solid state, and ultimately to integrated optical chips. Australia had a significant lead in semiconductors during the 1970?s, but unfortunately lost this lead due to a lack of local ....Optical Semiconductors for next-generation lasers, optical processors, and integrated optical chips. We are on the verge of an optical processing revolution. The silicon industry evolved from valves to transistors and finally to processors - Optical processing is the next step in the evolution of lasers from gas to solid state, and ultimately to integrated optical chips. Australia had a significant lead in semiconductors during the 1970?s, but unfortunately lost this lead due to a lack of local market. The emergence of biotechnology and telecommunications offer strong local markets for this new integrated optical technology. This project aims to create a world-leading Research capability in Australia to drive the evolution of integrated optoelectronics, and provide a commercial path to create a leading Australian industry.Read moreRead less
Constructing The Building Blocks For Future Nanomaterial Design: Self-assembly and Information Storage in Synthetic Macromolecules. The Federation Fellowship will be used to build a research team with the expertise and the capabililty to assemble the building-blocks required for future applications in nanomateral design. This will be of benefit both to the general Australian research community in the development of new materials and also to support the creation of a vibrant high-tech industry u ....Constructing The Building Blocks For Future Nanomaterial Design: Self-assembly and Information Storage in Synthetic Macromolecules. The Federation Fellowship will be used to build a research team with the expertise and the capabililty to assemble the building-blocks required for future applications in nanomateral design. This will be of benefit both to the general Australian research community in the development of new materials and also to support the creation of a vibrant high-tech industry utilising synthetic materials for applications such as responsive membranes and 'clever' drug deliveryRead moreRead less
The Contents of Consciousness. This project aims to develop a research centre that will be a world leader in the study of consciousness. The focus will be the question: how does human consciousness represent the world? The science of consciousness has seen explosive growth internationally in the last decade, but the relationship between consciousness and representation is not well-understood. Through local and international collaboration, researchers will develop a framework for understanding ....The Contents of Consciousness. This project aims to develop a research centre that will be a world leader in the study of consciousness. The focus will be the question: how does human consciousness represent the world? The science of consciousness has seen explosive growth internationally in the last decade, but the relationship between consciousness and representation is not well-understood. Through local and international collaboration, researchers will develop a framework for understanding the representational content of consciousness and will analyze experimental work at the leading edge of neuroscience and cognitive science. This will help us to understand the nature of consciousness itself.Read moreRead less
Biohumanities: Philosophical, Historical, and Socio-Cultural Studies of Contemporary Bioscience. Improving understanding of the meaning and implications of contemporary bioscience, especially genetics and molecular biology, through bioliterate research in the humanities and social sciences, and conversely through better assimilation of bioscience and its significance by the humanities and social sciences. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Australian scientific commun ....Biohumanities: Philosophical, Historical, and Socio-Cultural Studies of Contemporary Bioscience. Improving understanding of the meaning and implications of contemporary bioscience, especially genetics and molecular biology, through bioliterate research in the humanities and social sciences, and conversely through better assimilation of bioscience and its significance by the humanities and social sciences. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Australian scientific community and will be disseminated back to the scientific community, to the humanities and to the Australian public. The project will bring to Australia the strengths of the applicant's existing collaborations with leading research centres in this field in the USA, UK and Canada.Read moreRead less
Beijing: China's Heritage and the City as Spectacle. This project will provide the major national focus for trans-historical research on China, that is research that is grounded in traditional Sinological skills but that addresses some of the most important and long-term issues of Chinese history, culture and society and their contemporary relevance in North-east Asia and the Asia Pacific. It will provide a national hub for the focused study of late-traditional China and its contemporary relevan ....Beijing: China's Heritage and the City as Spectacle. This project will provide the major national focus for trans-historical research on China, that is research that is grounded in traditional Sinological skills but that addresses some of the most important and long-term issues of Chinese history, culture and society and their contemporary relevance in North-east Asia and the Asia Pacific. It will provide a national hub for the focused study of late-traditional China and its contemporary relevance to Australia.
This project through publications and an innovative web-presence will provide a unique opportunity for a multifaceted understanding of the underpinnings of the cultural heft that China will increasingly demonstrate in the years to come.Read moreRead less
A Practical Theory of Factual Information: Fundamentals and Applications in Philosophy and Physics. The project will provide answers to questions of fundamental significance to all Australians. By developing a new philosophical theory of factual information, it will yield new insights into one of the basic things that makes us human. By applying the new theory to central contemporary problems in philosophy and physics, it will provide a new understanding of the role and significance of causal re ....A Practical Theory of Factual Information: Fundamentals and Applications in Philosophy and Physics. The project will provide answers to questions of fundamental significance to all Australians. By developing a new philosophical theory of factual information, it will yield new insights into one of the basic things that makes us human. By applying the new theory to central contemporary problems in philosophy and physics, it will provide a new understanding of the role and significance of causal reasoning, and of the nature of the quantum world. The project will add greatly to the growth of Australia's research capital, attracting some of the world's best young researchers and students to work and study in this country, and adding further to Australia's international prominence, in a field in which we are already very strong.Read moreRead less
Cambodia: Place, People and Politics; Environmental, Economic, Cultural, Political, and Regional History since Earliest Times. Understanding the region and the world is vital to safeguarding Australia. Cambodian-Australian relations are important to Australia's foreign policy, both in Southeast Asia and globally. Australia's substantial Cambodian communities remain very interested in developments in their home country. This project will heighten Australia's profile in Cambodia, stimulate regiona ....Cambodia: Place, People and Politics; Environmental, Economic, Cultural, Political, and Regional History since Earliest Times. Understanding the region and the world is vital to safeguarding Australia. Cambodian-Australian relations are important to Australia's foreign policy, both in Southeast Asia and globally. Australia's substantial Cambodian communities remain very interested in developments in their home country. This project will heighten Australia's profile in Cambodia, stimulate regional research among Khmer-Australians, and attract top students and Post-Doctoral Fellows from Cambodia and other countries. Cambodia's specific ecological conditions and the long and important documented history of its people and their role in the region, will result in this project having a significant impact on Australian, regional and global study of Southeast Asia.Read moreRead less