Technology and innovation management in high risk situations. The value of Australian bulk commodity exports and container imports is expected to double from $400 billion to $800 billion by 2020, placing considerable pressure on port waters. This project will examine the challenge whereby port operators are both encouraged to take risks to innovate but are constrained by the consequences of risk.
The ship within a ship: new-generation transhipment of bulk ore products. This project will develop one of the most significant advances in decades in the technology of bulk ore transhipment. This will allow Australia's mining export industry, particularly small to medium sized companies in remote locations, to become more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Freshwater biofouling of hydraulic conduits: impact, mitigation, and control, and the consequences of Climate Change. National economic and environmental benefits will flow from increased outputs of renewable energy from hydroelectric power systems. Improved performance of canals and pipelines will enable energy and water losses to be reduced and will provide the National Electricity Market with additional renewable energy, lowering the requirement for fossil fuels. Knowledge of the impacts of ....Freshwater biofouling of hydraulic conduits: impact, mitigation, and control, and the consequences of Climate Change. National economic and environmental benefits will flow from increased outputs of renewable energy from hydroelectric power systems. Improved performance of canals and pipelines will enable energy and water losses to be reduced and will provide the National Electricity Market with additional renewable energy, lowering the requirement for fossil fuels. Knowledge of the impacts of Climate Change will enable industry to manage changes in rainfall pattern and conduit biofouling. An improved understanding of biofilms can be applied to achieve wider national benefit in water reticulation, irrigation systems and maritime applications. The team will develop research skills and technical expertise and train PhD students and industry counterparts.Read moreRead less
Making Crime Pay: Manufacturing Heritage Experiences in a Digital Age. This project aims to create digital tools to allow visitors to experience Australian convict sites and historical big data in new and novel ways. The project expects to forge a synergistic long-term relationship between archives, historical sites and research programs through pioneering thematic digital storytelling techniques, allowing audiences to access research data not previously curated for public consumption. Expected ....Making Crime Pay: Manufacturing Heritage Experiences in a Digital Age. This project aims to create digital tools to allow visitors to experience Australian convict sites and historical big data in new and novel ways. The project expects to forge a synergistic long-term relationship between archives, historical sites and research programs through pioneering thematic digital storytelling techniques, allowing audiences to access research data not previously curated for public consumption. Expected outcomes include enhanced international and disciplinary collaborations, generating standards for curating digital site, archival and collection data, and new means of communicating research results to a wider public, especially descendants. This should provide significant benefits to heritage site operators. Read moreRead less
The endangered swift parrot as a model for managing small migratory birds. Endangered swift parrots use variable locations while breeding in eastern Tasmania and over winter on the Australian mainland. This project aims to develop effective conservation strategies for swift parrots and other migrants using new and long term data and innovative technological solutions to tracking small birds across vast landscapes.
How does forestry impact headwater streams? Although headwater streams make up much of the catchment of rivers, the effects of forestry on instream species composition, habitat types, and ecosystem functions remain uninvestigated. We aim to fill these three gaps so that managers can: 1. determine whether stream side buffers are necessary and 2. identify which species and ecosystem functions are the most sensitive and reliable variables for future monitoring of instream ecosystem health.
Clothes, fibres and filters that reduce pollution by micro and nano debris. This project aims to provide scientifically verified methods to avoid, intercept and redesign products that cause the most abundant type of marine plastic pollution – clothing fibres - which has increased by over 450% in 60 years. It will determine how natural and plastic fibres, clothing brands and washing machine filters, alter fibre emissions and ecological impacts. This will enable protocols to improve products and t ....Clothes, fibres and filters that reduce pollution by micro and nano debris. This project aims to provide scientifically verified methods to avoid, intercept and redesign products that cause the most abundant type of marine plastic pollution – clothing fibres - which has increased by over 450% in 60 years. It will determine how natural and plastic fibres, clothing brands and washing machine filters, alter fibre emissions and ecological impacts. This will enable protocols to improve products and the environment, and reduce health risks that will benefit the public, government regulation and companies in designing "eco-friendly" products.Read moreRead less
Mammal declines in northern Australia: science for conservation and recovery. Australia’s unique mammal fauna is a rich biological heritage for the nation. It provides a wealth of ecosystem services, and many mammal species have special cultural or aesthetic value. However, our mammals are sadly depleted, and we already have the worst record of recent mammal extinction of any nation. Preventing further mammal extinctions, and managing environments to allow declined mammals to recover, will be of ....Mammal declines in northern Australia: science for conservation and recovery. Australia’s unique mammal fauna is a rich biological heritage for the nation. It provides a wealth of ecosystem services, and many mammal species have special cultural or aesthetic value. However, our mammals are sadly depleted, and we already have the worst record of recent mammal extinction of any nation. Preventing further mammal extinctions, and managing environments to allow declined mammals to recover, will be of great benefit to Australian biodiversity and to the ecosystem processes and human values that depend on it.Read moreRead less
Designing Human Resource Practices that Promote the Retention of Volunteers. This project aims to examine the effects of human resources practices on the attraction and retention of high-quality volunteers. Volunteers provide essential health and educational services to the Australian population, which makes it important for non-profit organisations to develop effective human resource practices that attract and retain the best people. However, non-profit organisations often struggle to attract a ....Designing Human Resource Practices that Promote the Retention of Volunteers. This project aims to examine the effects of human resources practices on the attraction and retention of high-quality volunteers. Volunteers provide essential health and educational services to the Australian population, which makes it important for non-profit organisations to develop effective human resource practices that attract and retain the best people. However, non-profit organisations often struggle to attract and retain a sufficient number of volunteers. This project will examine the effects of three human resource practices on the thriving and organisational attachment of volunteers using theories of motivation and retention. This knowledge is intended to help governments and non-profit organisations improve on policies and procedures to manage Australia’s volunteer workforce sustainably.Read moreRead less
Managing Tasmanian devil populations affected by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease. This project aims to put the science behind management options for wild Tasmanian devil populations affected by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a new emerging wildlife disease that is decimating devil populations across large parts of Tasmania. DFTD behaves atypically compared with well-studied wildlife disease models; this project may result in important breakthroughs in our understanding of wildlife disea ....Managing Tasmanian devil populations affected by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease. This project aims to put the science behind management options for wild Tasmanian devil populations affected by the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a new emerging wildlife disease that is decimating devil populations across large parts of Tasmania. DFTD behaves atypically compared with well-studied wildlife disease models; this project may result in important breakthroughs in our understanding of wildlife diseases. Conservation outcomes of the project may slow the spread of the disease and in aiding population recovery. Devils are an iconic species with economic benefits for ecotourism and livestock farms, industries which are based in economically depressed rural regions.Read moreRead less