Uncovering the organisational dynamics of pirates and maritime terrorists. This project will develop a novel framework to assess the organisational dynamics of two major maritime threats: piracy syndicates and maritime-capable terrorist groups. The results will allow analysts and policymakers to understand the behaviour of violent maritime organisations, and to maximise the effectiveness of policies designed to stop them.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100481
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$389,548.00
Summary
Women in Combat: a comparative analysis of removing the combat exclusion. Women are excluded from combat duties in the majority of defence forces across the world. This project will consider why some countries, such as Australia, have chosen to remove the combat exclusion and the impacts of this policy change. By gathering and analysing data from four countries that have removed the exclusion (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States), this project will advance our understanding of t ....Women in Combat: a comparative analysis of removing the combat exclusion. Women are excluded from combat duties in the majority of defence forces across the world. This project will consider why some countries, such as Australia, have chosen to remove the combat exclusion and the impacts of this policy change. By gathering and analysing data from four countries that have removed the exclusion (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States), this project will advance our understanding of the political drivers and the consequences of this policy change, in terms of gender integration. Read moreRead less
Inhibition Of Cellcell Actin-based Motility During Poxvirus Infection By The Kinase Inhibitor Glivec
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,950.00
Summary
Although smallpox, one of the deadliest human pathogens, was eradicated in 1980, the current global climate has resulted in fears that smallpox may be used as a biological weapon. Unfortunately the smallpox vaccine poses a serious health hazard to certain people. We have shown that Glivec, a drug used to treat cancer, has potent anti-viral affects on poxvirus replication. This project will test the effectiveness of Glivec in treating smallpox in an animal model and study how it acts.
Australia's Nuclear Choices. Australia's nuclear choices will be made in the context of a challenging and fluid international strategic environment characterised in Australia's immediate region by heightened global concerns regarding such transnational dilemmas as terrorism, energy security and nuclear proliferation. This project, through exploring the nature, evolution and consequences of contemporary strategic, military and civil nuclear developments impacting on the international non-prolifer ....Australia's Nuclear Choices. Australia's nuclear choices will be made in the context of a challenging and fluid international strategic environment characterised in Australia's immediate region by heightened global concerns regarding such transnational dilemmas as terrorism, energy security and nuclear proliferation. This project, through exploring the nature, evolution and consequences of contemporary strategic, military and civil nuclear developments impacting on the international non-proliferation regime will enable Australian policy-makers to better calibrate the costs and benefits of potential policy changes across these strategic, regime and market realms of Australia's nuclear interests.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100576
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$346,000.00
Summary
Taking sides: Assessing the partiality of international peacekeeping. This project aims to examine an enduring question for peacekeeping: should United Nations peacekeepers take sides between conflict parties, or should they remain impartial brokers that assist combatants to find their own peace settlement? Detailed comparison of six decades of peacekeeping will advance both the theory and practice of peacekeeping by understanding and explaining a striking gap between the long-standing principle ....Taking sides: Assessing the partiality of international peacekeeping. This project aims to examine an enduring question for peacekeeping: should United Nations peacekeepers take sides between conflict parties, or should they remain impartial brokers that assist combatants to find their own peace settlement? Detailed comparison of six decades of peacekeeping will advance both the theory and practice of peacekeeping by understanding and explaining a striking gap between the long-standing principle of impartiality and the frequent, controversial practice of taking sides. By conducting the first systematic study of partiality in peacekeeping and evaluating the effectiveness of this practice, the project aims to contribute new data, theoretical tools and policy proposals for building international peace and stability.Read moreRead less
Discovery And Mechanisms Of Host Cell Factors In HIV Uncoating
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,098.00
Summary
HIV entry into the host cell involves release of its capsid, a protein shell protecting the viral genome. The capsid hijacks host proteins to cloak itself from cellular defenses while the cell has evolved sensors that can block viral infection. This proposal aims to discover proteins involved in this arms race between host and virus and decipher how they control capsid disassembly. This insight will help design new drugs against HIV infection and new ways to deliver genes for gene therapies.
InterFET and East Timorese independence. InterFET was the first international military campaign led by Australia since WW2, and its largest deployment since Vietnam. It also marked a crucial moment in East Timor's transition to independence. Yet there is no significant scholarly research on the troops who served, nor has there been any substantive scholarly analysis of the InterFET deployment itself. The central aim of this project is thus to investigate the latter by means of the former. It aim ....InterFET and East Timorese independence. InterFET was the first international military campaign led by Australia since WW2, and its largest deployment since Vietnam. It also marked a crucial moment in East Timor's transition to independence. Yet there is no significant scholarly research on the troops who served, nor has there been any substantive scholarly analysis of the InterFET deployment itself. The central aim of this project is thus to investigate the latter by means of the former. It aims to provide a substantive scholarly analysis of InterFET primarily through means of an oral history of participants. The project endeavours to dramatically enhance Australian and international understanding of this seminal event and what it signified in military, political, social and personal terms.Read moreRead less
Insurgency and Strategic Non-Violence: The Resistance in East Timor. The best-known forms of resistance to foreign occupation are violent ones. This project investigates how a largely non-violent insurgency was successful despite being geographically and militarily isolated. It provides important new insights into the research on insurgency and non-violence. It also helps us to better understand East Timor.
What is killing the honeybees? The role of RNA viruses. This project aims to determine if the Varroa mite, the most important parasite of honeybees, selects for virulent strains of RNA viruses. Before Varroa’s inevitable arrival in Australia, this project will disentangle the effect of Varroa and the bees’ immune system on the evolution of virulence of bee viruses. Australia’s honeybees are Varroa-naïve and don’t carry virulent viruses. There is a known association between Varroa and colonies dy ....What is killing the honeybees? The role of RNA viruses. This project aims to determine if the Varroa mite, the most important parasite of honeybees, selects for virulent strains of RNA viruses. Before Varroa’s inevitable arrival in Australia, this project will disentangle the effect of Varroa and the bees’ immune system on the evolution of virulence of bee viruses. Australia’s honeybees are Varroa-naïve and don’t carry virulent viruses. There is a known association between Varroa and colonies dying from viruses; however, it is not known what is cause and effect. This project will clarify Varroa’s exact role in the evolution of virulence in RNA viruses. The intended outcome is increased knowledge allowing the design of an effective treatment to prevent the death of honeybee colonies.Read moreRead less
Eliminating Sexual Violence Within the Military . Military sexual violence, or sexual violence that occurs within national militaries, is a complex and gendered international problem This project addresses how we can better understand and reduce military sexual violence through a comparative analysis of the rates, responses, and reporting of the issue in Australia, Canada, the US, and New Zealand.
The project will produce the first-ever comparative data set on international rates over the past ....Eliminating Sexual Violence Within the Military . Military sexual violence, or sexual violence that occurs within national militaries, is a complex and gendered international problem This project addresses how we can better understand and reduce military sexual violence through a comparative analysis of the rates, responses, and reporting of the issue in Australia, Canada, the US, and New Zealand.
The project will produce the first-ever comparative data set on international rates over the past decade, establish and communicate international best practices and policies in reducing military sexual violence, and identify potential gender bias within media coverage and policies that may limit public knowledge and responses.
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