The Wealth Effect: A cultural analysis of prosperity, financialisation and everyday life in contemporary Australia. Financial and real estate markets are now central to Australian family life. But current government policies to individualise responsibility for saving and borrowing decisions often exceed the individual capacity to manage complex financial choices and unknown market risks. Growing levels of home and property ownership bring new benefits but they also increase exposure to economic ....The Wealth Effect: A cultural analysis of prosperity, financialisation and everyday life in contemporary Australia. Financial and real estate markets are now central to Australian family life. But current government policies to individualise responsibility for saving and borrowing decisions often exceed the individual capacity to manage complex financial choices and unknown market risks. Growing levels of home and property ownership bring new benefits but they also increase exposure to economic downturn. For many households the Great Australian Dream of home ownership and prosperity has now turned into a nightmare. This project responds to the pressing need for greater understanding of these developments, and will advance our understanding of this new socio-economic terrain.Read moreRead less
A general framework for the stability and robustness of dynamical systems. Stability and robustness are crucial properties of well-engineered dynamical systems. This project aims to unify several notions of stability and robustness and to expand these notions to the emerging area of hybrid systems, which includes next generation electricity distribution networks.
Complex and nonlinear pattern analysis in architectural space, form and program: developing computational tools to support social and cultural design. In a country that is experiencing increasing urban density there is an urgent need for the development of tools and models for the production of socially and culturally responsive environments. The Fellowship develops a new quantitative and qualitative understanding of the experiential and semiotic characteristics of buildings. The project, assis ....Complex and nonlinear pattern analysis in architectural space, form and program: developing computational tools to support social and cultural design. In a country that is experiencing increasing urban density there is an urgent need for the development of tools and models for the production of socially and culturally responsive environments. The Fellowship develops a new quantitative and qualitative understanding of the experiential and semiotic characteristics of buildings. The project, assisted by developments in robotics technology, produces a leading-edge computational model for analysing complex and non-linear patterns in architectural space, form and program from a social and cultural perspective. Such a model will assist design practitioners, scholars, town planners and policy writers to shape rich, responsive and inclusive architectural environments.Read moreRead less
Using mathematical modelling to inform HIV/AIDS public health policy. This research will directly inform HIV/AIDS policy officials on the most effective strategies for preventing new cases in HIV in the community. Consequently, there are health benefits for Australia and for the other countries in which the research is being conducted. HIV/AIDS community groups, educators, and other advocacy groups will also be engaged in the research, leading to the development of focussed prevention campaigns ....Using mathematical modelling to inform HIV/AIDS public health policy. This research will directly inform HIV/AIDS policy officials on the most effective strategies for preventing new cases in HIV in the community. Consequently, there are health benefits for Australia and for the other countries in which the research is being conducted. HIV/AIDS community groups, educators, and other advocacy groups will also be engaged in the research, leading to the development of focussed prevention campaigns by these stakeholders to inform the appropriate communities. Reducing the health burdens of HIV/AIDS will also have economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Pyramids, power and the dynamics of states in crisis. This project aims to transform existing narratives about the impact of Egypt in the Pyramid Age (c. 2670–2200 BC). It will demonstrate the influence of large state entities as drivers of societal change in the ancient world. This interdisciplinary project transcends academic disciplines and modern borders by networking scientific analysis with archaeological and historical evidence, from across the eastern Mediterranean. The expected outcom ....Pyramids, power and the dynamics of states in crisis. This project aims to transform existing narratives about the impact of Egypt in the Pyramid Age (c. 2670–2200 BC). It will demonstrate the influence of large state entities as drivers of societal change in the ancient world. This interdisciplinary project transcends academic disciplines and modern borders by networking scientific analysis with archaeological and historical evidence, from across the eastern Mediterranean. The expected outcome of the project is an expansive vision of international relations in the third millennium BC, which elevates Egypt as a driver of economic, social and political change. In a region currently troubled by much turmoil, the shared nature of global issues across time and space, and the human response, will be evident.Read moreRead less
Plasmonic nanoparticle catalysis for nitrogen-based synthesis. Light can generate an optical force to capture small objects. This requires intense light – a laser, which limits optical trapping in catalysis applications. This project aims to apply plasmonic nanoparticles with normal-intensity light to take advantage of plasmonic-generated optical forces for catalytic chemical synthesis. The optical trapping/releasing of small molecules is highly selective and responsive to molecule structure and ....Plasmonic nanoparticle catalysis for nitrogen-based synthesis. Light can generate an optical force to capture small objects. This requires intense light – a laser, which limits optical trapping in catalysis applications. This project aims to apply plasmonic nanoparticles with normal-intensity light to take advantage of plasmonic-generated optical forces for catalytic chemical synthesis. The optical trapping/releasing of small molecules is highly selective and responsive to molecule structure and so presents a great opportunity to radically alter chemical synthesis pathways, which will be illustrated with reactions on liquid-solid and gas-solid interfaces. This highly innovative strategy will be used to discover new nitrogen-based syntheses which are both fundamentally and industrially important.Read moreRead less
Stability Assessment of Australia’s Future Electrical Grids. This project aims to identify important conceptual gap in the understanding of inherent coupling between synchronous and non-synchronous generation systems, with a focus on potential adverse effect due to their fundamentally different underlying physical principles. New discoveries in physical properties and dynamic couplings will be applied to provide a more accurate representation of system dynamics under low system strength conditio ....Stability Assessment of Australia’s Future Electrical Grids. This project aims to identify important conceptual gap in the understanding of inherent coupling between synchronous and non-synchronous generation systems, with a focus on potential adverse effect due to their fundamentally different underlying physical principles. New discoveries in physical properties and dynamic couplings will be applied to provide a more accurate representation of system dynamics under low system strength conditions, revealing root causes of different instability phenomena. Expected outcomes include a suite of models for future electrical grids, improved knowledge about how renewable units respond to various system disturbance, a platform for dynamic simulation and novel tools for stability assessment.Read moreRead less
Charge transfer kinetics at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. This project aims to enhance understanding of the interface science associated with charge-transfer reactions at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. Experimental and modelling approaches will be used to unravel the contributions of surface wetting and nanostructure geometry to the kinetics of charge transfer reactions at the surfaces. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to engineer nanostructured semiconductor surf ....Charge transfer kinetics at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. This project aims to enhance understanding of the interface science associated with charge-transfer reactions at nanostructured semiconductor surfaces. Experimental and modelling approaches will be used to unravel the contributions of surface wetting and nanostructure geometry to the kinetics of charge transfer reactions at the surfaces. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to engineer nanostructured semiconductor surfaces for designed functionality and an extended collaborative network which can collectively address significant problems in energy science. It is anticipated that these outcomes will be realised in reliable, low-cost metallisation for silicon photovoltaics and increased power densities for electrochemical storage systems.Read moreRead less
Nanoengineering Smart and Precise Antimicrobial Polymers. Designing the next generation of antimicrobial polymers. This proposal aims to combat the critical global issue of antibiotic resistance via fundamental and innovative chemistry design solutions. The proposed new design will enable the polymers to activate intelligently and precisely in the presence of specific stimuli such as bacterial enzymes for the first time, thereby endowing the polymers with both antimicrobial and biocompatible pro ....Nanoengineering Smart and Precise Antimicrobial Polymers. Designing the next generation of antimicrobial polymers. This proposal aims to combat the critical global issue of antibiotic resistance via fundamental and innovative chemistry design solutions. The proposed new design will enable the polymers to activate intelligently and precisely in the presence of specific stimuli such as bacterial enzymes for the first time, thereby endowing the polymers with both antimicrobial and biocompatible properties. Both properties are crucially needed for successful translation into practical applications. This proposal will lead to new and effective avenues in fighting multidrug-resistant bacteria and will significantly benefit Australia's healthcare and agriculture sectors.Read moreRead less
Transitions and translations in scientific practice. This project focuses on how life sciences are developing new research practices and new ways of transferring knowledge across disciplines and into society. These transformations will be investigated through collaborations between biologists and philosophers of science, with the aim of better insight into science and its social implications.