Agenda Setting for Environmental Protection Policies.
Project Summary:
The development of sophisticated agenda-setting techniques is
threatening to undermine the delicate balance of representative democracy. This
has important ramifications for policies aimed at environmental protection because
vested interests may have an interest in opposing effective policies. The proposed
project will investigate and report on the role that policy entrepreneurs and
institutes have played in setting the environmental policy agenda in Australia
and the US. The findings will be of interest to political analysts, environmental
activists and those involved in formulating or seeking to change environmental
policy as well as to academics researching agenda-setting theory.
Chief Investigator(s):
Hugh Brown
Geoff Spinks
Gordon Wallace
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$59,954
$58,191
$58,416
$176,561
Project Title:
Adhesion and toughness of polymer gels
Project Summary:
We will study the adhesion properties and toughness of highly
swollen polymer gels to improve the design of gel based devices and enhance
the understanding of polymer/substrate adhesion. Emphasis will be placed on
the adhesion between a charged polyelectrolyte gel and charged substrate to
gain an understanding of the effects of electrostatic interactions on polymer-substrate
adhesion in the presence of water, an issue common to many polymer systems including
gel based devices. We will examine the molecular parameters that control the
toughness of highly swollen polymer gels, and hence find techniques to increase
their toughness.
Chief Investigator(s):
Andrzej Calka
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$65,949
$74,000
$64,906
$204,855
Project Title:
Structure, Stability, Sinterability and Mechanical Properties
of Nanostructural Metal Nitrides, Carbides and Carbo-Nitrodes Synthesised by
Reactive Mechano-Chemical Methods.
Project Summary:
This project explores a new low temperature mechanosynthesis technique
for preparation of micron-sized particles of metal nitrides and carbo-nitrides
which contain nanoscale crystallites in a disordered matrix. Consolidation techniques
will be developed to preserve this ultra-fine structure, leading to materials
with markedly increased hardness and wear resistance. Standard and non-conventional
consolidation methods will be investigated, including novel dynamic compaction
and microwave sintering processes. Elucidation of structure-property-processing
relationships will provide fundamental knowledge for the development of exceptionally
hard and wear resistant materials for commercial applications.
Chief Investigator(s):
Peter Carroll
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$35,082
$29,000
$45,000
$109,082
Project Title:
Policy transfer between Australian governments and between
Australian and selected international jurisdictions.
Project Summary:
The project will identify the extent, types and patterns of policy
transfer between Commonwealth and state governments in Australia, and the significance
in these patterns of international sources of policy transfer. The nature of
patterns of policy diffusion and learning are of increasing interest as new
forms of governance emerge within and beyond the nation-state. The extent of
imitation, adaptation and transformation in the goals and instruments of policy
measures as they diffuse through different jurisdictions will be explored. Detailed
case studies will identify the reasons for policy transfer and the processes
by which transfer takes place
Chief Investigator(s):
SX Dou
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$71,945
$77,589
$77,888
$227,422
Project Title:
Enhancement of transport Critical current density in
Magnetic fields of Ag/BiPbSrCaCuO Tapes by Fission Tracks
Project Summary:
An important application of high temperature superconductors (HTS)
is in the area of high current and high magnetic field where a high critical
current density, Jc, in strong magnetic fields is essential. It is well accepted
that Jc of Ag/BiPbSrCaCuO tapes is limited by the grain connectivity in the
self-field, but by flux pinning in an applied field. The objective of this project
is to enhance flux pinning by using a combination of stable uranium compound
doping and thermal neutron irradiation to produce fission fragments to act as
pinning centres. The expected outcomes will be improved Jc in magnetic fields
and minimised anisotropy of HTS with radioactivity to a level acceptable for
handling.
Chief Investigator(s):
Chris Fergusson
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$50,000
$54,700
$33,500
$138,200
Project Title:
Tectonics of the Neoproterozoic—Early Palaeozoic
margin in eastern Australia: Rodinian fragmentation followed by convergence
along the East Gondwana Margin
Project Summary:
Crustal evolution in eastern Australia 1000 to 500 Ma ago has
been related to the breakup of an ancient supercontinent (Rodinia) followed
by formation of passive, margins a d subsequent convergent margins bordering
the palaeo-Pacific Ocean. This project will establish the sedimentary and subsequent
deformation history of rock successions that formed along part of the passive
margin in the Australian sector of East Gondwana. Neoproterozoic metamorphics
of central Queensland (Anakie Inlier), derived from the passive margin, will
be mapped northwards onto the Townsville region of north Queensland and southwards
into central New South Wales (Girilambone Group).
Chief Investigator(s):
David Griffith
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$10,4000
$64,700
$65,500
$234,200
Project Title:
Ground and satellite based remote sensing of stratospheric
ozone chemistry.
Project Summary:
As part of a global ground and satellite based remote sensing
network, we will measure the amounts, trends and variability of critical trace
gases in the atmosphere, particularly those relating to stratospheric ozone
depletion. Our role in the network is to make solar FTIR spectroscopic measurements
from Wollongong, and is a key one because we will provide the only ground-based
coverage of the atmosphere between latitudes of 19 degrees N and 45 degrees
S. Our measurements, combined with those of the remaining network and atmospheric
chemical/dynamical models, will be analysed to provide improved understanding
of the chemical evolution of the atmosphere, enhance our ability to assess future
atmospheric change and provide valuable input to the development of adaptation
strategies.
Chief Investigator(s):
Jim Hill
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$78,986
$58,479
$51,925
$189,390
Project Title:
Investigation of the hypoplasticity theory for granular
materials through advanced mathematical technique.
Project Summary:
Hypoplasticity is a new continuum mechanical theory for granular
materials, which is quickly becoming accepted as providing an accurate model
to predict the flow behaviour of materials such as sand, soil and certain powders.
This is an exciting new granular theory, originally developed at the University
of Karlsruhe and ripe for detailed mathematical investigation. The purpose of
this proposal is firstly, to investigate this theory using advanced mathematical
techniques, such as similarity, perturbation and characteristic solutions for
specific problems, and secondly to provide research training to ensure that
Australia acquires expertise in this important granular theory.
Chief Investigator(s):
Hua Kun Liu
Mihail Ionescu
Xiaolin Wang
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$59,954
$58,191
$58,416
$176,561
Project Title:
Growth, characterisation, and flux pinning behaviour
of doped TISr2Ca2Cu3Oy and TISr2CaCu2Oy high temperature superconducting single
crystals
Project Summary:
TISr2Ca2Cu3Oy (TISr-1223) and TISr2CaCu2Oy (TISr-1212) exhibit
significant improvement in critical current at high magnetic fields over the
TI- and Bi-based high temperature superconductors (HTS). Flux pinning for both
compounds has not been well investigated because of the extreme difficulties
involved in growing single crystals. The aim of the proposed research is to
investigate the growth, characterisation and flux pinning behaviour in Pb or
Ba doped and undoped TISr-1212 and 1223 single crystals. This study will lead
to a better understanding of the intrinsic flux pinning properties of both phases
and be beneficial for application involving TI-or Bi-based HTS films and tapes.
Chief Investigator(s):
Timothy Marchant
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$50,000
$51,000
$49,000
$150,000
Project Title:
Analytical and numerical modelling of industrial microwave
heating
Project Summary:
Microwave heating of materials in waveguides and cavities is an
important industrial process. Microwave processing has a number of advantages
over conventional convective heating; these include faster processing times
and superior material properties in the final product. Thermal runaway is a
major drawback however, as it can destroy or damage the product. A new efficient
computational model will be developed using a hybrid of analytical and numerical
techniques. The new model will further the fundamental knowledge of thermal
runaway and allow efficient feedback control algorithms to be developed. this
will allow thermal runaway to be avoided whilst optimising the processing time.
Chief Investigator(s):
Alfred Mertins
Jiangtao Xi
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$50,000
$54,519
$48,000
$152,519
Project Title:
Blind Separation of Convolutive Mixtures in the Subband
Domain
Project Summary:
The aim of this project is to develop efficient subband techniques
for blind source separation. The outcome will be a key technique to improve
the performance of important practical systems, such as hearing aids, speech
recognisers, and telconferencing facilities. "Blind" separation means that one
aims to recover unobserved signals (sources) from observed mixtures without
any information about the mixtures. The only assumption made is that the sources
are independent. Using subband techniques, we convert difficult, real-world
separation tasks into sets of simpler ones and overcome the complexity problem,
which often prohibits the use of blind algorithms in practice.
Chief Investigator(s):
Carl E Morris
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$53,959
$58,191
$38,944
$151,094
Project Title:
Behaviour and capabilities of unsaturated drainage layers
used for soil moisture control
Project Summary:
High soil moisture contents are often of concern to engineers
and are often the cause of sudden slope failures such as the Thredbo disaster
in Australia. The use of unsaturated drainage layers (UDLs) in engineered earth
systems such as roadways, embankments and cover systems can significantly lower
soil moisture contents, reducing costs and risks to life and the environment.
To date, the concept of UDLs has been proven in small-scale lab experiments
and through numerical modelling. This project will utilise large-scale lab experiments
to validate UDLs and develop design guidelines allowing the concept to be implemented
by practicing engineers and designers.
Chief Investigator(s):
Gerald Nanson
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$67,715
$69,200
$70,000
$206,915
Project Title:
Anabranching rivers, their causes, characteristics and
management.
Project Summary:
Anabranching rivers are the last major category to be thoroughly
described and explained. Less common elsewhere, they are prolific in subhumid
and semiarid regions of Australia where their diversity encourages detailed
comparative research. Most previous studies have been sedimentologically based,
providing little information suitable for either river management or for palaeoenvironmental
estimations of flow regime and climate change. This project will expand our
recent research into flow efficiency and least action as the self-adjustment
mechanisms controlling alluvial channel form, including the formation of multiple
channels. It will also identify best management practices for this characteristically
Australian type of river.
Chief Investigator(s):
Josef Pieprzyk
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$60,000
$51,000
$48,000
$159,000
Project Title:
Secure Multi-Party Collaboration
Project Summary:
The project investigates aspects of secret sharing. Secret sharing
allows us to define groups whose power to act can be differentiated depending
on the positions of participants within the organisation. The aim of the project
is to study ways the trust within the group can be redistributed by allowing
participants to trade their shares or partial shares. This will give rise to
new delegation systems where the delegation can be permanent or temporary. Methods
and techniques which can be used for detection and prevention of dishonest behaviour
are studied. The project is of strategic importance to secure collaboration
via Internet.
Chief Investigator(s):
John R Rossiter
Lesley White
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$66,395
$35,498
$77,190
$179,083
Project Title:
Conceptual and operational development of a test of
marketing knowledge.
Project Summary:
The aim of the project is to produce an internally valid and psychometrically
reliable test of marketing knowledge. Marketing is ubiquitous and its economic
importance is now unquestioned. However, a thorough classification of marketing
knowledge—its principles, frameworks, facts, and procedures—is lacking.
Using an original concept approach, with input from an international panel of
experts, followed by developmental and validation studies, this project will
produce a comprehensive test to measure and assess marketing educators for curriculum
planning and to industry for marketing personnel selection.
Chief Investigator(s):
Rei Safavi-Naini
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$55,000
$55,000
$55,000
$165,000
Project Title:
Sequential Tracing for Copyright Protection of Digital
Objects.
Project Summary:
Traitor tracing systems provide protection against illegal access
to digital data of all forms, including computer software and multimedia objects.
Our proposed system, sequential traitor tracing, is designed to detect source(s)
of rebroadcasts of digital data in conditional access systems such as digital
pay television. Sequential tracing is more efficient, reliable and flexible
than existing methods, allowing it to be used in a wide range of applications.
The outcomes of this project will have immediate application to resolving disputes
relating to illegal access to broadcast digital data, and will contribute to
higher security in electronic commerce.
Chief Investigator(s):
Paul Sharrad
Dorothy Jones
Anne Collett
Diana Wood-Conroy
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$43,000
$27,150
$60,000
$130,150
Project Title:
Fabric(ation)s of the Postcolonial
Project Summary:
The project reads selected postcolonial literary texts in English
against specific instances of textile production and trade. This will generate
new literary critical work, innovations in postcolonial theory and fresh approaches
in fabric arts scholarship. The project argues generally that postcolonial literature
is integrally tied to material practices of production, exchange and adaptation
within colonialism, nationalist decolonisation and globalising capital. It examines
textile use and literary figuration of textiles as strategic shaping of identities.
The project will produce a book, published articles, conference papers and a
curated exhibition illustrating its ideas.
Chief Investigator(s):
Kiet Tieu
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$76,251
$64,657
$51,925
$192,833
Project Title:
Flow Mixing at Supply Pocket in Journal Bearing.
Project Summary:
Thermal mixing at the oil pocket is an important process for journal
bearing design, as it sets the reference point for the whole pressure and temperature
distribution within the lubricant thin film. The effects on the bearing performance
of the supply pockets due to the hot-oil-carry-over mixing with the fresh oil
in the pockets can be significant. This project involves a determination of
the flow field in the journal bearing oil pocket by modelling as well as by
Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), to gain
an understanding the basic nature of the turbulent flow in a complete journal
bearing with oil supply grooves.
Chief Investigator(s):
Martin Tsamenyi
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$47,000
$56,000
$60,000
$163,000
Project Title:
The legal framework for the Sustainable Management of
High seas fisheries
Project Summary:
The inadequacies of the existing international legal framework
have made it difficult to regulate high seas fisheries resources in a sustainable
manner. This project will develop new legal principles to achieve the sustainable
management of high seas fisheries, with emphasis on straddling stocks, highly
migratory stocks and discrete stocks. The project will provide the intellectual
framework for addressing a range of international fisheries issues facing Australia
in the Indian and Southern and Pacific oceans.
Chief Investigator(s):
Gordon Wallace
Geoff Spinks
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$43,000
$36,000
$36,000
$115,000
Project Title:
Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays: Templates for Novel
Electrofunctional Polymer Nanocomposites
Project Summary:
We propose to use aligned carbon nanotube arrays as a platform
on which to create unique nanocomposites with inherently conducting polymers
(CPs). These will be formed by direct electrode position of the CP or by first
covalently attaching reactive monomers to the open ends of tethered nanotubes.
We expect to produce nanocomposite structures with enhanced electrical, mechanical
and electrofunctional properties. The use of the structures in high impact fields
such as artificial muscles, smart membranes, controlled release systems, and
biosensors is expected to return significant benefits to Australia.
Chief Investigator(s):
Lei Wei
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$55,000
$53,000
$46,915
$154,915
Project Title:
Near Optimal Decoding for Mobile Communications.
Project Summary:
Universal access to Digital Communication system (DCS) in the
form of wireless, personal and mobile communications is essential for a modern
economy and general well being of a country. Error control coding has been key
part of the mobile communications systems. Recently iterative decoding has revolutionised
the field of error control coding, initialised by the Turbo codes. How to apply
those newly developed concepts into wireless communications has become a major
research focus all around the world. In this project, we aim to extend our research
effort in the area of hierarchical decoding and iterative Viterbi decoding for
mobile communications. Both decoding methods are the best for communications
using short packet format (100-200 bits) widely used in mobile communications.
Chief Investigator(s):
Stephen Wilson
David Griffith
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$87,000
$64,700
$65,500
$217,200
Project Title:
Positional Isotopic Asymmetry: A new tool to resolve
the Global N2O Budget
Project Summary:
The measurement of all isotopic variants of nitrous oxide (NNO),
including the isotopic ratios for the individual (and different) N atoms provides
a new tool to identify sources and sinks of this important anthropogenic greenhouse
gas. We will determine the isotopic signature of important sources as well as
that of the atmosphere and its variations using a high resolution infra red
technique developed by us. This will allow better estimates of the total nitrous
oxide emissions from Australia, and provide important information for understanding
the global nitrous oxide budget.
Chief Investigator(s):
Colin Woodroffe
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$48,000
$52,700
$53,500
$154,200
Project Title:
Reef-island morphodynamics and response to environmental
change
Project Summary:
Low-lying islands on mid-ocean atolls (Kiribati) and platform
reefs (Torres Strait) support indigenous communities which appear especially
vulnerable to environmental change, particularly global sea-level rise. Whether
islands erode (ultimately disappearing) or grow, through addition of new sediment,
is crucially important for socio-economic planning. This project will integrate
studies of long-term (Holocene) reef-island formation and episodic change recorded
on surveyed transects, examination of present-day sedimentary and hydrodynamic
processes on island beaches, and computer modelling. This will enable us to
simulate reef-island response to future environmental change.
Chief Investigator(s):
Jan Wright
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$55,000
$44,000
$50,000
$149,000
Project Title:
Physical activity in the lives of young people
Project Summary:
National and international studies point to the declining participation
of young people in physical activity and the consequences of this for their
health. It is important to develop explanations of this phenomenon which will
inform policies and practices to reverse this trend. One important source of
information rarely tapped is a qualitative understanding from the viewpoint
of young people themselves of how social relations and cultural meanings influence
their opportunities and choices in relation to physical activity in both community
and school settings. This study is designed to take up this challenge.
Chief Investigator(s):
Peter Wypych
Paul Cooper
Geoff Brooks
2001 $
2002 $
2003 $
Total $
$62,630
$38,794
$43,657
$145,081
Project Title:
Generation and Dispersion of Fume from Hot Metal Process
Project Summary:
Fumes generated from hot metal processes constitute major health
and environmental hazards. Current design techniques for fume control are inaccurate,
have limited applicability, and provide very little information on fume characteristics
or concentration as a function of process variables. This project is an experimental
and computational (CFD) investigation into the fundamental processes of fume
generation and dispersion from a hot metal bath. The main aims are to provide
quantitative data and theoretical models that will enable engineers/designers
to greatly improve the efficiency of exhaust systems and reduce exposure of
workers and the community to harmful fume from hot metal processes.
