Smart Grids, Messy Society? An evaluation of the implementation of smart grids in Australia. New information technologies allow utility infrastructures to operate as smart grids, with the promise of multiple economic and environmental benefits. Utility infrastructures are largely unaltered since first installed 100 years ago, and smart grids have the potential to catalyse significant innovation. This project aims to investigate the societal drivers for, and implications of, smart grids and asses ....Smart Grids, Messy Society? An evaluation of the implementation of smart grids in Australia. New information technologies allow utility infrastructures to operate as smart grids, with the promise of multiple economic and environmental benefits. Utility infrastructures are largely unaltered since first installed 100 years ago, and smart grids have the potential to catalyse significant innovation. This project aims to investigate the societal drivers for, and implications of, smart grids and assess how these grid implementations vary from place to place. It will assess the implications of this for theory and practices of innovation and learning. This project also aims to provide new insights into the messy, complex societal reaction to smart grids in Australia; a country at the forefront of smart grid implementation.Read moreRead less
Bridging scales in remote sensing of vegetation stress. This project aims to develop operational upscaling algorithms to map vegetation stress indicators from space-borne missions’ optical observations of the Earth. These approaches use computer radiative transfer models and unmanned aircraft systems called drones, and will pave the way for regular satellite monitoring of plant health in extensive and inaccessible Australian and Antarctic areas. More accurate and timely remote sensing maps of ea ....Bridging scales in remote sensing of vegetation stress. This project aims to develop operational upscaling algorithms to map vegetation stress indicators from space-borne missions’ optical observations of the Earth. These approaches use computer radiative transfer models and unmanned aircraft systems called drones, and will pave the way for regular satellite monitoring of plant health in extensive and inaccessible Australian and Antarctic areas. More accurate and timely remote sensing maps of early stress symptoms will provide early warnings of droughts, diseases and pests, tell when and where to protect ecological functions of wild natural systems, and help to sustain or even increase agricultural food production.Read moreRead less
Tools for manipulating neuronal activity for behavioural studies. This project aims to develop optogenetic tools neuroscientists can use to better understand brain circuitry and the functional effects of specific neurons on behaviour. Linking the activity of individual neurons in the brain to specific behaviours is a major challenge in neuroscience. Optogenetics achieve this by using light to control the activity of neurons. This has advanced understanding of behaviour and neurocircuitry. This p ....Tools for manipulating neuronal activity for behavioural studies. This project aims to develop optogenetic tools neuroscientists can use to better understand brain circuitry and the functional effects of specific neurons on behaviour. Linking the activity of individual neurons in the brain to specific behaviours is a major challenge in neuroscience. Optogenetics achieve this by using light to control the activity of neurons. This has advanced understanding of behaviour and neurocircuitry. This project is expected to increase understanding of brain function at the cellular and system levels, and advance Australia’s multidisciplinary research capacity in neuroscience, cognitive sciences and nanobiotechnology to ultimately treat neurological disorders.Read moreRead less
Autonomous platforms and biotagging data: new approaches for understanding variability and change across the Antarctic ocean/sea-ice climate system. This project aims to advance our ability to assess and monitor climate change across the Antarctic ocean/sea-ice system. Ocean/sea-ice interactions have a critical role in the global climate and there is an urgent need to determine how these are responding to climate change. This project will overcome gaps in existing observational datasets that cur ....Autonomous platforms and biotagging data: new approaches for understanding variability and change across the Antarctic ocean/sea-ice climate system. This project aims to advance our ability to assess and monitor climate change across the Antarctic ocean/sea-ice system. Ocean/sea-ice interactions have a critical role in the global climate and there is an urgent need to determine how these are responding to climate change. This project will overcome gaps in existing observational datasets that currently limit our understanding of spatiotemporal variability and change in ocean around Antarctica. This study will use two new approaches, biotagging and autonomous platforms, to greatly improve our capacity to model and predict the impacts of climate change on the Antarctic ocean/sea ice system and beyond.Read moreRead less
Predicting coastal ecological futures in an era of unprecedented change. This project aims to show how we can predict the future for coastal habitats, fisheries and biodiversity, and validate the reliability of those predictions. Global change means ecosystems are rapidly changing beyond the bounds of historical data, so we can no longer extrapolate past trajectories to predict the future. Reliable predictions are needed to help managers mitigate the risks of future human activities to the envir ....Predicting coastal ecological futures in an era of unprecedented change. This project aims to show how we can predict the future for coastal habitats, fisheries and biodiversity, and validate the reliability of those predictions. Global change means ecosystems are rapidly changing beyond the bounds of historical data, so we can no longer extrapolate past trajectories to predict the future. Reliable predictions are needed to help managers mitigate the risks of future human activities to the environment. Expected outcomes are improved techniques for making predictions that can inform the adaptive management of ecosystems. This is expected to benefit the management of the coastal zone, including fisheries and habitat restoration, which will contribute to enhancing Australia’s valuable ocean economy. Read moreRead less
Conserving biodiversity in timber production forests. Intensified forestry to meet rising demand for timber is placing biodiversity at risk. The aim of this project is to develop and field-test a novel framework to reconcile forest conservation with production. The project seeks to resolve whether intensive forestry coupled with a large reserve network produces better biodiversity outcomes than less intensive forestry with fewer reserves. I will integrate abundances of plant and animal species w ....Conserving biodiversity in timber production forests. Intensified forestry to meet rising demand for timber is placing biodiversity at risk. The aim of this project is to develop and field-test a novel framework to reconcile forest conservation with production. The project seeks to resolve whether intensive forestry coupled with a large reserve network produces better biodiversity outcomes than less intensive forestry with fewer reserves. I will integrate abundances of plant and animal species with forest industry timber yield data in a uniquely suited landscape. Survey results will be synthesised with global data on biodiversity responses to forestry. This research will benefit the forest industry by providing guidelines that improve conservation outcomes while maintaining timber yield.Read moreRead less
Tackling marine conservation issues at national and global scales. This project aims to collect and apply standardised underwater data on fishes, invertebrates and plants in an unprecedented global analysis of decadal change in rocky and coral reef ecosystems. Outcomes will include validation of global models of ocean warming and understanding of poorly known ecological impacts of recreational fisheries. A suite of data-informed recommendations developed through engagement across management, sci ....Tackling marine conservation issues at national and global scales. This project aims to collect and apply standardised underwater data on fishes, invertebrates and plants in an unprecedented global analysis of decadal change in rocky and coral reef ecosystems. Outcomes will include validation of global models of ocean warming and understanding of poorly known ecological impacts of recreational fisheries. A suite of data-informed recommendations developed through engagement across management, science and public sectors will benefit Australians by enabling improved sustainability of resource use. International benefits will propagate through increased data access, improvements in predictive models and the evidence base required for large-scale biodiversity-related policy reform.Read moreRead less
Integrating teachers’ knowledge and affect to improve mathematics teaching and raise attainment. Mathematics teachers need to know their subject and how to teach it and need passion for the discipline and for inspiring their students to love it. They must believe that their students can learn mathematics and set high academic expectations for all of them. Knowledge and beliefs must be addressed in order to improve teaching, but exactly how can this be done? This project aims to build on existin ....Integrating teachers’ knowledge and affect to improve mathematics teaching and raise attainment. Mathematics teachers need to know their subject and how to teach it and need passion for the discipline and for inspiring their students to love it. They must believe that their students can learn mathematics and set high academic expectations for all of them. Knowledge and beliefs must be addressed in order to improve teaching, but exactly how can this be done? This project aims to build on existing work to develop theoretical insights that will lead to innovative approaches towards teacher change based on the integration of teacher knowledge and affect.Read moreRead less
A sociological investigation of key problems in contemporary Australian housing policy-making. Long-standing housing problems in Australia have exacerbated social division and conflicts within Australia. This project will investigate the causes and impact of these social divisions and conflicts. Its findings will provide insights about the conduct of social policy and the capacity governments to address contemporary housing problems.
Can Tasmanian Devils survive by adapting to devil facial tumour disease? This research will examine whether or not Tasmanian Devils are capable of adapting fast enough to survive the disease epidemic caused by a new contagious cancer, devil facial tumour disease, and evade extinction. Outcomes will determine long-term management responses to the disease and will set a benchmark for managing wildlife diseases worldwide.