Checking the validity of photographic identification documents: Enhancing the performance of security personnel through increased understanding of unfamiliar face processing. The ability to accurately establish the identity of an individual is central to the national security of Australia. Identity checking often relies on facial photographs contained on passports and other documents. Despite the introduction of automated systems, the decision whether a photograph is of a person rests with human ....Checking the validity of photographic identification documents: Enhancing the performance of security personnel through increased understanding of unfamiliar face processing. The ability to accurately establish the identity of an individual is central to the national security of Australia. Identity checking often relies on facial photographs contained on passports and other documents. Despite the introduction of automated systems, the decision whether a photograph is of a person rests with human operators. Research by CI has demonstrated that this task is difficult and error prone. The proposed research seeks to improve performance by developing a fuller understanding of the nature of the task and the limits of the operators' abilities and by testing possible training and selection procedures.Read moreRead less
Disgust as a psychosocial defence against infectious disease. Globally, around 1 in 4 deaths result from infectious disease. Humans have evolved two basic means to combat this - an immune system and behaviours to avoid getting sick. This project examines one such behaviour, disgust, and aims to determine its role in disease avoidance. Studying disgust can lead to novel insights into behaviours as diverse as risky sexual decision-making and illness-related stigmatisation (e.g. of people with AID ....Disgust as a psychosocial defence against infectious disease. Globally, around 1 in 4 deaths result from infectious disease. Humans have evolved two basic means to combat this - an immune system and behaviours to avoid getting sick. This project examines one such behaviour, disgust, and aims to determine its role in disease avoidance. Studying disgust can lead to novel insights into behaviours as diverse as risky sexual decision-making and illness-related stigmatisation (e.g. of people with AIDS or cancer). Disgust can also be used to directly improve human health. For example, it can be exploited to boost hand hygiene. If widely applied, this simple measure could annually save an estimated 1.5 million children's lives, reduce rates of flu, colds, food poisoning and hospital acquired infections.Read moreRead less
Management of Complex Assets Using Smart Information Systems. The aim is to develop an integrative framework and a smart system for holistic asset management in order to manage and optimise asset decisions vis-a-vis shifts in customer and market needs. It will develop an advanced conceptual framework, a dedicated smart system that is capable of handling uncertainty often associated with decision making in large complex operations. The benefits of this research are: a more competitive indusry wit ....Management of Complex Assets Using Smart Information Systems. The aim is to develop an integrative framework and a smart system for holistic asset management in order to manage and optimise asset decisions vis-a-vis shifts in customer and market needs. It will develop an advanced conceptual framework, a dedicated smart system that is capable of handling uncertainty often associated with decision making in large complex operations. The benefits of this research are: a more competitive indusry with focus on markets; a smart system to demonstrate business-based decision making and generally a much more sophisticated approach to asset management.Read moreRead less
The rise of empiricism and the attempt to produce a unified understanding of the world, 1680-1750. Empiricism is often regarded as the characterising feature of modern scientific method, and, in those approaches to psychology and the social and economic sciences that seek to model themselves on successful scientific practice in the physical and life sciences, it often acts as a model of good practice. The project examines the original form of empiricism and shows how it was able to directly enga ....The rise of empiricism and the attempt to produce a unified understanding of the world, 1680-1750. Empiricism is often regarded as the characterising feature of modern scientific method, and, in those approaches to psychology and the social and economic sciences that seek to model themselves on successful scientific practice in the physical and life sciences, it often acts as a model of good practice. The project examines the original form of empiricism and shows how it was able to directly engage questions of value in a novel and revealing way, and how its connection with 'hard' sciences was not merely to provide a methodological gloss on these, but went to the core of what scientific explanation consisted in.Read moreRead less
Mathematics, the science of real structure: an Australian realist philosophy of mathematics. The project will strengthen the already strong Australian philosophical tradition of realism, extending it into philosophy of mathematics. It will develop a robust alternative to the nominalism, Platonism and idealism that dominate northern-hemisphere philosophizing about mathematics, an alternative that is in tune with how mathematicians really apply mathematics. Australian philosophy will thus be stren ....Mathematics, the science of real structure: an Australian realist philosophy of mathematics. The project will strengthen the already strong Australian philosophical tradition of realism, extending it into philosophy of mathematics. It will develop a robust alternative to the nominalism, Platonism and idealism that dominate northern-hemisphere philosophizing about mathematics, an alternative that is in tune with how mathematicians really apply mathematics. Australian philosophy will thus be strengthened in general, giving it a greater attractiveness to the many overseas visitors and students who already appreciate its unique strengths. The nature of the project will also lead to closer ties and interdisciplinary work between philosophers and mathematicians.
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Governance for Environmental Sustainability: The Case of Public- Private Partnerships. The research will add to our knowledge of the structures, policies and processes required to control and coordinate partnerships formed to enable environmental sustainability whilst promoting creative problem solving and business profitability. Outcomes will advise Australian policy makers on design, development and implementation of the next generation of collaborative partnerships for sustainability between ....Governance for Environmental Sustainability: The Case of Public- Private Partnerships. The research will add to our knowledge of the structures, policies and processes required to control and coordinate partnerships formed to enable environmental sustainability whilst promoting creative problem solving and business profitability. Outcomes will advise Australian policy makers on design, development and implementation of the next generation of collaborative partnerships for sustainability between government and business. With such interorganisational partnerships becoming ever more prevalent and complex, the study will provide invaluable information that will help facilitate the long-term success of Australian businesses and promote Australia's economic development without compromising its environmental sustainabilityRead moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989759
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Australian Access to and Operation of Advanced Synchrotron Radiation Facilities at the Photon Factory. The primary national benefit of this application will be continued access by peer review for Australian scientists to the advanced synchrotron-radiation capabilities of the Australian National Beamline Facility and other complementary beamlines at the Photon Factory, Japan. This proposal is consistent with the National Research Priorities of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, Promoting a ....Australian Access to and Operation of Advanced Synchrotron Radiation Facilities at the Photon Factory. The primary national benefit of this application will be continued access by peer review for Australian scientists to the advanced synchrotron-radiation capabilities of the Australian National Beamline Facility and other complementary beamlines at the Photon Factory, Japan. This proposal is consistent with the National Research Priorities of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and will generate science to support and stimulate domestic industry, enhance the domestic knowledge base and international research profile, train students and future synchrotron scientists and foster domestic and international collaborations.Read moreRead less
Teaching Software Agents to Play. This project is fundamental to computational intelligence and human brain science. Both strongly impact on the community and the nation. They form the backbone of contemporary information science and are key to our National Research Priorities. This research is of great community benefit. Our results will enable everyone to rapidly search, analyse and interpret vast amounts of information that is irretrievable by current methods. They will also enliven interacti ....Teaching Software Agents to Play. This project is fundamental to computational intelligence and human brain science. Both strongly impact on the community and the nation. They form the backbone of contemporary information science and are key to our National Research Priorities. This research is of great community benefit. Our results will enable everyone to rapidly search, analyse and interpret vast amounts of information that is irretrievable by current methods. They will also enliven interactive entertainment by spontaneously creating unique, tailor-made music. In sum, we are making a leap forward in the crucial area of collaborative intelligence.Read moreRead less
The God of Hegel's Post-Kantian Idealism. Recently both philosophical and popular debates over the role of religion in modern society have, like earlier debates from the 18th century, been marked by a commitment to philosophical realism. In the largely neglected "idealist" tradition of the nineteenth century, such disputes were cast in a different light. By developing an idealist conception of God, using contemporary philosophical resources, this project aims to offer a way of thinking about the ....The God of Hegel's Post-Kantian Idealism. Recently both philosophical and popular debates over the role of religion in modern society have, like earlier debates from the 18th century, been marked by a commitment to philosophical realism. In the largely neglected "idealist" tradition of the nineteenth century, such disputes were cast in a different light. By developing an idealist conception of God, using contemporary philosophical resources, this project aims to offer a way of thinking about the role of religion in human life that avoids the primacy of the question of belief in God as well as antagonistic conceptions of religious differences.Read moreRead less
John Locke, botany and natural kinds. This project will enhance the status of research into early modern science and philosophy in Australia. It is a project of major significance in Locke studies and in the history of botany and it will impinge on a number of current philosophical debates to which Australians are already making a major contribution: the nature of biological species; natural kinds; and scientific method. Those who work on early modern thought in Australia will also benefit from ....John Locke, botany and natural kinds. This project will enhance the status of research into early modern science and philosophy in Australia. It is a project of major significance in Locke studies and in the history of botany and it will impinge on a number of current philosophical debates to which Australians are already making a major contribution: the nature of biological species; natural kinds; and scientific method. Those who work on early modern thought in Australia will also benefit from the close relationship that will be established between the University of Sydney and Oxford University. The publications issuing from the project will be of international significance.Read moreRead less