Analysis of the structure of latin squares. The benefits to Australia of fundamental research in core disciplines such as mathematics are well documented. Discrete mathematics and combinatorics are boom disciplines of the computer age and this project seeks new knowledge concerning basic building blocks of combinatorial mathematics. The outcomes will be of interest to theoretical discrete mathematicians around the world, enhancing Australia's already high research profile in this important area ....Analysis of the structure of latin squares. The benefits to Australia of fundamental research in core disciplines such as mathematics are well documented. Discrete mathematics and combinatorics are boom disciplines of the computer age and this project seeks new knowledge concerning basic building blocks of combinatorial mathematics. The outcomes will be of interest to theoretical discrete mathematicians around the world, enhancing Australia's already high research profile in this important area of pure mathematical research. Importantly, the problems under investigation offer substantial opportunity for excellent postgraduate training, critical for the future of Australian research. Read moreRead less
Multivariate Algorithmics: Meeting the Challenge of Real World computational complexity. This Project will result in better methods for designing the algorithms that all computer applications depend on. Algorithms are the instruction sets that tell computers how to process information. Some information processing tasks are intrinsically difficult, even for computers working at enormous speeds. This Project will deliver new mathematical approaches to overcome these difficulties. More efficient al ....Multivariate Algorithmics: Meeting the Challenge of Real World computational complexity. This Project will result in better methods for designing the algorithms that all computer applications depend on. Algorithms are the instruction sets that tell computers how to process information. Some information processing tasks are intrinsically difficult, even for computers working at enormous speeds. This Project will deliver new mathematical approaches to overcome these difficulties. More efficient algorithmic approaches for difficult problems enable advances in all areas of computer applications such as medical diagnosis and health prediction, national security, communications efficiency, industrial productivity and all fields of science and engineering.Read moreRead less
Local reoptimization for turbocharging heuristics. Theoretical computer science has up until now had little impact on the design of effective heuristics. While data sets may be large, significant structure is almost always present and important to take into account when designing algorithms. Parameterised complexity considers the underlying structure by parameterising not only on the size of the input but also on structural parameters. This project aims to take advantage of the many opportunitie ....Local reoptimization for turbocharging heuristics. Theoretical computer science has up until now had little impact on the design of effective heuristics. While data sets may be large, significant structure is almost always present and important to take into account when designing algorithms. Parameterised complexity considers the underlying structure by parameterising not only on the size of the input but also on structural parameters. This project aims to take advantage of the many opportunities for new theories in the design of new heuristics and in turbocharging existing heuristics for computationally hard problems.Read moreRead less
The demographic consequences of migration to, from and within Australia. The long-term demographic consequences of migration to, from and within Australia, and the dynamic pathways that produced them, will be studied. This will involve the identification of the specific contributions made by international and internal migration to the age and sex population compositions of nine birthplace-specific populations from 1981 to 2011. To do this, publically available data will be collected and augmente ....The demographic consequences of migration to, from and within Australia. The long-term demographic consequences of migration to, from and within Australia, and the dynamic pathways that produced them, will be studied. This will involve the identification of the specific contributions made by international and internal migration to the age and sex population compositions of nine birthplace-specific populations from 1981 to 2011. To do this, publically available data will be collected and augmented with statistical methods to provide a complete, consistent account of population change for around 60 subnational areas. As migration and population change underpins many aspects of societal change in Australia, this research aims to provide an invaluable resource to other scientists and policy makers.Read moreRead less
Cross-cultural institution-building and development interventions: linking applied and critical approaches. This project will examine cross-cultural institutions created in the context of development, planning and management interventions. The proposed collaboration will support two APAI scholars to research the social and cultural processes whereby such institutions engage local communities in resource mapping, planning and decision-making. One scholar will work in East Timor, the other in the ....Cross-cultural institution-building and development interventions: linking applied and critical approaches. This project will examine cross-cultural institutions created in the context of development, planning and management interventions. The proposed collaboration will support two APAI scholars to research the social and cultural processes whereby such institutions engage local communities in resource mapping, planning and decision-making. One scholar will work in East Timor, the other in the Northern Territory. A key objective is to combine applied and critical approaches in expanding our understanding of the interactions that takes place between external agencies and local communities. The research will contribute to the improved design and implementation of initiatives for managing local resources.Read moreRead less
Estimating the potential supply of environmental services by landholders. Wilderness, natural habitats, biodiversity and other aspects of natural capital and their associated ecosystem services are in decline. Increasing scarcity is driving a surge in interest in these services and their value. It potentially provides opportunities for landholders to be generating income from environmental services provision, and lessens dependency on livestock, crop and fibre production. But how realistic are t ....Estimating the potential supply of environmental services by landholders. Wilderness, natural habitats, biodiversity and other aspects of natural capital and their associated ecosystem services are in decline. Increasing scarcity is driving a surge in interest in these services and their value. It potentially provides opportunities for landholders to be generating income from environmental services provision, and lessens dependency on livestock, crop and fibre production. But how realistic are these prospects? A critical aspect of potential markets for environmental services is their supply. This project examines the supply side of environmental services by exploring determinants of ability and willingness of landholders to provide these services.Read moreRead less
Modelling Payments for Environmental Services on Indigenous held lands. Payments for environmental services (PES) such as fire management have potential to provide employment to indigenous people managing land that has previously been thought to hold no commercial value. In so doing it could transform the economies of the very remote parts of Australia where indigenous people live. For these schemes to work, however, greater understanding is required not only of the willingness of society to pay ....Modelling Payments for Environmental Services on Indigenous held lands. Payments for environmental services (PES) such as fire management have potential to provide employment to indigenous people managing land that has previously been thought to hold no commercial value. In so doing it could transform the economies of the very remote parts of Australia where indigenous people live. For these schemes to work, however, greater understanding is required not only of the willingness of society to pay for environmental services in northern Australia but also of the perceptions of the indigenous people who are providing these services. Choice modelling can (1) quantify values of different environmental services in different sectors of society and (2) help allocate the payments for environmental services efficiently.Read moreRead less
Density regulation as a major determinant of population persistence: advancing empirical and theoretical approaches to conserve biodiversity. Without efficient application of limited conservation resources, more species will go extinct and invasive species will continue to proliferate. With a better understanding of extinction processes, a higher benefit:cost ratio will ensure better outcomes for biodiversity. We will directly address (1) the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity by provid ....Density regulation as a major determinant of population persistence: advancing empirical and theoretical approaches to conserve biodiversity. Without efficient application of limited conservation resources, more species will go extinct and invasive species will continue to proliferate. With a better understanding of extinction processes, a higher benefit:cost ratio will ensure better outcomes for biodiversity. We will directly address (1) the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity by providing evidence-based support for minimum viable population size targets to avoid extinction; (2) responding to climate change by determining the species- and environmentally specific contexts leading to elevated risks of extinction; and (3) protecting Australia from invasive diseases and pests by determining density targets that maximise eradication success.Read moreRead less
Cycle Aware: Driving with Bikes. This project focuses on the education and training required by drivers to interact safely with cyclists. It uses two ontologically diverse methodologies to examine how Australian drivers become cyclist aware and the education and training necessary to foster safe driver–cyclist interactions. The project aims to provide a critical knowledge base for state and territory driver education policies and a cycle-aware module for learner drivers. These outcomes are inten ....Cycle Aware: Driving with Bikes. This project focuses on the education and training required by drivers to interact safely with cyclists. It uses two ontologically diverse methodologies to examine how Australian drivers become cyclist aware and the education and training necessary to foster safe driver–cyclist interactions. The project aims to provide a critical knowledge base for state and territory driver education policies and a cycle-aware module for learner drivers. These outcomes are intended to reduce cyclist road trauma and on-road tensions between cyclists and drivers, and to improve opportunities for active travel to tackle the growing issue of inactivity.Read moreRead less
Does monitoring and evaluation improve joint management? The case of national parks in the Northern Territory. Joint Indigenous/government management is to be mainstreamed in 30 national parks and reserves in the Northern Territory over the next few years including some of Australia's iconic natural wonders. This project will identify how participatory monitoring and evaluation enhances the realisation of benefits from joint management, how it can be done cost effectively, and how it can be scal ....Does monitoring and evaluation improve joint management? The case of national parks in the Northern Territory. Joint Indigenous/government management is to be mainstreamed in 30 national parks and reserves in the Northern Territory over the next few years including some of Australia's iconic natural wonders. This project will identify how participatory monitoring and evaluation enhances the realisation of benefits from joint management, how it can be done cost effectively, and how it can be scaled up from six pilot areas to areas across the NT and Australia wide. The project will build capacity of Indigenous Traditional Owners to participate in monitoring and evaluation for improved management and livelihood outcomes for the benefit of not just the residents of these natural areas, but for all Australians. Read moreRead less