A cross-national study of the relative impact of an oral component on PhD examination quality, language and practice. High quality doctoral degrees call for the most effective forms of assessment. This project investigates the role of oral examination in PhD assessment, common internationally but not in Australia, and is the first to compare the relative impact of oral and 'no oral' models on examination quality, language and practice.
Molecules as probes of the interstellar medium. It is one of the greatest challenges in Nature is to remotely identify what is in space. Interstellar molecules are identified by their spectra, but many features in these spectra are unknown, implying that there are many more molecules in space than we know about. With a stronger understanding of space chemistry, we could predict what should be there and verify it in the lab. Conversely, identification of these features will provide the tools to u ....Molecules as probes of the interstellar medium. It is one of the greatest challenges in Nature is to remotely identify what is in space. Interstellar molecules are identified by their spectra, but many features in these spectra are unknown, implying that there are many more molecules in space than we know about. With a stronger understanding of space chemistry, we could predict what should be there and verify it in the lab. Conversely, identification of these features will provide the tools to understand interstellar chemistry. In this project we combine skills in spectroscopy and astronomy to make these molecules in the laboratory, measure their spectra and thereby identify unknown molecules in space.Read moreRead less
Realistic models of permeation in ion channels. Ion channels are formed by proteins in cell membranes and provide pathways for fast and controlled flow of selected ions. This activity generates action potentials in nerves and muscles that forms the basis of all movement, sensation and thought processes. Recent determination of the crystal structure of channel proteins has enabled construction of models that can relate channel function to its structure--necessary for understanding their operati ....Realistic models of permeation in ion channels. Ion channels are formed by proteins in cell membranes and provide pathways for fast and controlled flow of selected ions. This activity generates action potentials in nerves and muscles that forms the basis of all movement, sensation and thought processes. Recent determination of the crystal structure of channel proteins has enabled construction of models that can relate channel function to its structure--necessary for understanding their operation and seeking cures for diseases caused by their malfunction. This project aims to develop accurate ion-protein-water interactions for permeation models based on stochastic and molecular dynamics simulations using both classical and quantum mechanical methods.Read moreRead less
Reliable and accurate statistical solutions for modern complex data. This project aims to develop novel methods for reliable and accurate statistical modelling with modern, complex correlated and error-prone data. The project expects to make significant strides towards future-proofing statistical data analysis, equipping practitioners with a suite of robust and computationally efficient methods which provide confidence in the stability and reproducibility of results obtained, while offering guar ....Reliable and accurate statistical solutions for modern complex data. This project aims to develop novel methods for reliable and accurate statistical modelling with modern, complex correlated and error-prone data. The project expects to make significant strides towards future-proofing statistical data analysis, equipping practitioners with a suite of robust and computationally efficient methods which provide confidence in the stability and reproducibility of results obtained, while offering guarantees on their transferability over a range of populations. This will provide important benefits as they are applied in predicting endangered marine species for fisheries conservation, and in enhancing our national understanding of the relationship between education achievement and financial success. Read moreRead less
Nanorheology: Hydrodynamic Slip in Newtonian Fluids. Understanding fluid flow across a surface is essential to a great number of technologies. For over one hundred years it has been assumed that the layer of fluid adjacent to the solid moves with the solid, this is known as the no-slip boundary condition. Recently direct force balance measurements of aqueous Newtonian solutions have indicated the presence of boundary slip. Using a newly developed nanorheology technique we will systematically inv ....Nanorheology: Hydrodynamic Slip in Newtonian Fluids. Understanding fluid flow across a surface is essential to a great number of technologies. For over one hundred years it has been assumed that the layer of fluid adjacent to the solid moves with the solid, this is known as the no-slip boundary condition. Recently direct force balance measurements of aqueous Newtonian solutions have indicated the presence of boundary slip. Using a newly developed nanorheology technique we will systematically investigate the conditions that control boundary slip. This information will be used to quantify, model and control boundary slip, progressing the fields of microfluidics, particle deposition, and colloid stability.Read moreRead less
Force-from-lipids biophysical principle underlying mechanotransduction. The major aim of this project is to determine evolutionary conserved physical principles of mechanotransduction in living cells through structure and function studies of PIEZO mechanoreceptor channels playing a crucial role in senses such as touch and pain in animals and humans. Mutations in these channels can cause numerous genetic disorders, including hereditary anaemias and joint contractures. Since they have been shown t ....Force-from-lipids biophysical principle underlying mechanotransduction. The major aim of this project is to determine evolutionary conserved physical principles of mechanotransduction in living cells through structure and function studies of PIEZO mechanoreceptor channels playing a crucial role in senses such as touch and pain in animals and humans. Mutations in these channels can cause numerous genetic disorders, including hereditary anaemias and joint contractures. Since they have been shown to respond to mechanical stimuli in the same manner as mechanoreceptor channels of organisms from bacteria to humans the intended outcome of this project is to uncover the unifying principles of mechanotransduction anchored in the laws of physics and chemistry that have guided the force-dependent design of all life forms.Read moreRead less
A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of import ....A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of important organic reactions and enhancing collaboration nationally and internationally between computational and synthetic chemists. This should provide significant benefits in the form of improved chemical reactions for chemists to prepare new pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and materials.Read moreRead less
Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a univers ....Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a universal framework for understanding and predicting specific ion effects in complex electrolytes. The project outcomes are expected to deliver new understanding for researchers, robust rules of thumb for technologists and a public resource for data-driven solutions in applications utilising salt solutions. Read moreRead less
Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequenc ....Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequences in most situations involving solutions, including cellular functions and battery technology. This project will enable us to understand and control the influence of specific ions, building on our recently described fundamental ion-specific series with colloid science experiments and quantum simulations. This project should overcome current challenges in predicting ion-specific effects leading to progress in a wide variety of applications of colloid and interface science, from sensor interfaces to self-assembly.Read moreRead less
The First Deep Infrared Study of the Nearby Galaxy Population. We will conduct two major near-infrared (IR) surveys: The Southern Galactic Cap near-IR survey, and the Local Sphere of Influence survey. These surveys will capitalise on the innovative and award winning Australian IRIS2 facility. The two surveys push the observational frontier by orders of magnitude. They will be used to explore the close connection between the near-IR global properties of a galaxy and its underlying physics and pro ....The First Deep Infrared Study of the Nearby Galaxy Population. We will conduct two major near-infrared (IR) surveys: The Southern Galactic Cap near-IR survey, and the Local Sphere of Influence survey. These surveys will capitalise on the innovative and award winning Australian IRIS2 facility. The two surveys push the observational frontier by orders of magnitude. They will be used to explore the close connection between the near-IR global properties of a galaxy and its underlying physics and provide a generic local reference for the upcoming next generation infrared space-telescope missions.
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