Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic ....Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic, physiological, and acoustic concomitants of each component distribution and by investigating the impact of selected variables on the shape and location of each. The project has important implications for models of language production and applied problems involving automatic speech recognition, forensic speaker identification, and human communication disorders.Read moreRead less
The Political and Economic Agency of Africans in Australia. This project examines the nature and impact of political and economic agency among African migrants in Australia, using mixed methods (survey, interviews, media and policy analysis). With the right policy settings, African migrants and Australian communities stand to benefit enormously from projected African population growth. However, due to a two decade research focus on African refugees, little is known about the successful navigatio ....The Political and Economic Agency of Africans in Australia. This project examines the nature and impact of political and economic agency among African migrants in Australia, using mixed methods (survey, interviews, media and policy analysis). With the right policy settings, African migrants and Australian communities stand to benefit enormously from projected African population growth. However, due to a two decade research focus on African refugees, little is known about the successful navigation of political and economic life among the wider African diaspora. This project will generate new knowledge offering a blueprint for such policy settings. Outcomes include a monograph, 8 papers, and evidence-based policy advice on enhancing African migrant political and economic engagement in Australia. Read moreRead less
Building an Indian Ocean region. The Indian Ocean Region, of vital geopolitical importance to Australia, is the heart of the Third World - overwhelmed by chronic poverty, precarious political systems, and conflicting ethno-religious identities. This project will document attempts at constructing regional identities and institutions, and facilitate the process of 'building' a secure Region.
Ochre archaeomicrobiology: a new tool for understanding Aboriginal exchange. This project aims to identify the origins and movements of Australian archaeological ochre through the development of a novel tool combining genomic and chemical analysis. The geographic distribution of Australian ochre is closely linked to Aboriginal creation stories, while its physical distribution by people is evidence of cultural cooperation. Using this new archaeomicrobiological technique, the project aims to answe ....Ochre archaeomicrobiology: a new tool for understanding Aboriginal exchange. This project aims to identify the origins and movements of Australian archaeological ochre through the development of a novel tool combining genomic and chemical analysis. The geographic distribution of Australian ochre is closely linked to Aboriginal creation stories, while its physical distribution by people is evidence of cultural cooperation. Using this new archaeomicrobiological technique, the project aims to answer significant questions about past human behaviour, in terms of trade, cultural interactions, territoriality and colonisation. The method also has the potential to benefit traditional owners by contributing to repatriation projects. The collaborative detailed recording, sampling and analysis of ochre sources on traditional lands will also assist Aboriginal communities to manage this important aspect of their cultural heritage.Read moreRead less
State-trace analysis: theory and application. A fundamental question for the science of psychology is: how can we identify the functional components of the human mind from observed behaviour and bodily states? This project explores this question through a new methodology called state-trace analysis and apply it to a basic cognitive ability - the capacity to learn to classify different objects.