Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354872
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
The ARC Cleaner Energy and Hydrogen Research Network. The importance of clean energy is well recognised, and it is important to recognise, leverage and exploit Australian needs in the context of world progress in the area. The first task of the initiative will be to identify and focus research in the knowledge of existing trends. The Network will bring together Australia's finest research groups to provide an Australian focus on cleaner energy and hydrogen research, participate in major internat ....The ARC Cleaner Energy and Hydrogen Research Network. The importance of clean energy is well recognised, and it is important to recognise, leverage and exploit Australian needs in the context of world progress in the area. The first task of the initiative will be to identify and focus research in the knowledge of existing trends. The Network will bring together Australia's finest research groups to provide an Australian focus on cleaner energy and hydrogen research, participate in major international programs, and provide a framework for relevant researchers to interact. It will develop an advisory role for Government and industry on technological options for sustainable energy development.Read moreRead less
Regulatory design for water quality management in urban catchments. This project aims, through empirical research (i) to evaluate the effectiveness of current regulatory, quasi-regulatory and other policy strategies for water quality management in urban catchments (including total/integrated catchment management); (ii) to provide practical policy prescriptions concerning how through judicious regulatory and institutional design, those problems may be best addressed for the future; and (iii) adva ....Regulatory design for water quality management in urban catchments. This project aims, through empirical research (i) to evaluate the effectiveness of current regulatory, quasi-regulatory and other policy strategies for water quality management in urban catchments (including total/integrated catchment management); (ii) to provide practical policy prescriptions concerning how through judicious regulatory and institutional design, those problems may be best addressed for the future; and (iii) advance regulatory theory by developing a framework for understanding the relative effectiveness of different regulatory regimes in the context of urban catchment management. Its empirical focus is on the Swan-Canning river in Western Australia.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354778
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Deep Earth Resource Characterisation and Extraction - An Integrated Geoscience Approach. Sustainability, economy and safety in resource recovery require a high level of understanding of the mechanics of geomaterials in their natural conditions and a multidisciplinary approach to the geotechnical issues involved. This initiative aims to bridge gaps between geotechnical disciplines, to combine the testing, analytical skills and experience of the research groups and to incorporate expertise and ide ....Deep Earth Resource Characterisation and Extraction - An Integrated Geoscience Approach. Sustainability, economy and safety in resource recovery require a high level of understanding of the mechanics of geomaterials in their natural conditions and a multidisciplinary approach to the geotechnical issues involved. This initiative aims to bridge gaps between geotechnical disciplines, to combine the testing, analytical skills and experience of the research groups and to incorporate expertise and ideas from the cognate disciplines of geology and geophysics so that innovative engineering practice will develop. This approach should achieve breakthroughs in understanding the behaviour of, and the safe economic extraction from deep resources including minerals, coal, gas drainage, petroleum and geothermal energy.Read moreRead less
Conservation management of seed-eating birds in the tropical savannas. Biodiversity loss in the savannas indicates unsustainable management. This research will enhance our abilities to effectively manage Australia's tropical savannas, as well as contributing to several State and Territory, Commonwealth and international obligations to maintain biodiversity. Understanding the processes underlying current declines will also make the effects of future management or environment changes easier to pre ....Conservation management of seed-eating birds in the tropical savannas. Biodiversity loss in the savannas indicates unsustainable management. This research will enhance our abilities to effectively manage Australia's tropical savannas, as well as contributing to several State and Territory, Commonwealth and international obligations to maintain biodiversity. Understanding the processes underlying current declines will also make the effects of future management or environment changes easier to predict. Retaining threatened species can benefit remote and regional communities through tourism, and also through the extra employment required to implement the management prescriptions that will be developed from this research.Read moreRead less
The ARC Earth System Science Research Network. The ARC Earth System Science Network incorporates data collectors, modellers and impacts researchers to address the impacts of climate change and variability on Human, biological and physical systems. Our capacity to adapt to changes in water availability, agricultural productivity, the likelihood of species extinctions, and risks to human health will be enhanced through the Network's use of frontier technologies. The enhanced capacity to use data a ....The ARC Earth System Science Research Network. The ARC Earth System Science Network incorporates data collectors, modellers and impacts researchers to address the impacts of climate change and variability on Human, biological and physical systems. Our capacity to adapt to changes in water availability, agricultural productivity, the likelihood of species extinctions, and risks to human health will be enhanced through the Network's use of frontier technologies. The enhanced capacity to use data and model the Earth System will allow policymakers to make more informed decisions with regard to water, biodiversity, human health, industry and agriculture sustainability; thereby enhancing the national capacity to respond to climate change and variability and securing our common interest.Read moreRead less
Impact of increased sediment and nutrient discharges on the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia's greatest natural assets, is under increasing threat from extreme climatic events caused by global warming and from land-based pollution. This research will identify the main sources of sediment and nutrient pollution caused by river runoff and by how much this has increased above 'natural levels'. We will discover how the very sensitive offsho ....Impact of increased sediment and nutrient discharges on the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia's greatest natural assets, is under increasing threat from extreme climatic events caused by global warming and from land-based pollution. This research will identify the main sources of sediment and nutrient pollution caused by river runoff and by how much this has increased above 'natural levels'. We will discover how the very sensitive offshore coral reefs have responded to increased pollution and whether this is the cause of the very devastating crown-of-thorn-starfish infestations. Understanding the long-term effects of land-based pollution on the ecology of coral reefs in the GBR will thus provide a scientific basis to help ensure that it has a sustainable future.Read moreRead less
Diamonds – Time Capsules of Ancient Mantle Volatiles and the Key to Dynamic Earth Evolution. This project aims to reconcile the radically different views on the structure of the Earth’s mantle, based on geochemical (mostly noble gas) and geophysical data. This objective will be addressed through innovative noble gas analyses of well-characterised diamond samples, including gem-stones used for previous dating studies. In combination with carbon isotopic results, this information will be used to c ....Diamonds – Time Capsules of Ancient Mantle Volatiles and the Key to Dynamic Earth Evolution. This project aims to reconcile the radically different views on the structure of the Earth’s mantle, based on geochemical (mostly noble gas) and geophysical data. This objective will be addressed through innovative noble gas analyses of well-characterised diamond samples, including gem-stones used for previous dating studies. In combination with carbon isotopic results, this information will be used to constrain the structure and temporal/spatial evolution of the Earth’s mantle. A related outcome will be an improved understanding of the mantle source regions of diamonds and diamond formation.Read moreRead less
Craton modification and growth: the east Albany-Fraser Orogen in three-dimensions. The objective of this work is to achieve new, synergistic techniques for delineating the three-dimensional structure of the east Albany-Fraser Orogen in Western Australia, and the lithospheric structure below it. These methods will guide understanding of the potential for mineral resources in this region with little surface geological exposure.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100095
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,000.00
Summary
High-resolution X-ray micro computed tomography supporting West Australian geo-, physical and biological science. An X-ray micro computed tomography facility will provide West Australian researchers with much needed access to cutting-edge instrumentation for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging. This facility will support major research programs in key disciplines, including minerals and mining, energy, medical and biological sciences.
Carbon nanotube fluidic channels for desalination - interplay of nanoscale confinement and electrostatics. Tiny tubes of carbon, ten thousand times smaller than human hair, allow water to pass through at extraordinary speed. This project aims to understand and improve their salt rejection properties using comprehensive experimental and theoretical approaches. This will provide the impetus and knowledge for developing advanced membranes for desalination