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2003 Successful ARC Discovery Projects
- IS Burnett, D Williamson, J Lukasiak
- G Cox
- DP Dunne
- D Farrier, RJ Whelan
- B Ferry, JG Hedberg, BL Cambourne, JB Turbill, DH Jonassen
- LA Kane-Maguire, PC Innis, GG Wallace, GF Swiegers
- B Martin
- SG Pyne
- R Safavi-Naini, Y Desmedt, W Susilo
- X Wang, M Ionescu, Z Cheng, M James, R Liu, Dr W Lang
- AD Wells, GR Knight, JS Hagan, RG Castle
- RJ Whelan, DJ Ayre
- TA Wysocki, A Mertins, JR Seberry
- C Zhang, RA Lewis
Reserves
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr IS Burnett Prof D Williamson Mr J Lukasiak |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $50,000 | $50,000 | ||||
| Project Title: | Sound and Shape Synthesis Using Tensegrity Particle Systems | ||||
| Category: | 2802—ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SIGNAL AND IMAGE PROCESSING | ||||
| Project Summary: | Pixar's Toy Story amazed audiences with its computer-generated images, yet the sound was still composed and “tuned” almost wholly by human hand. In industry, virtual reality systems are increasingly applied to simulation and visualisation but, in general, “sound” is poorly handled. In this project, we seek to research complex systems that will simulate an object's sound, shape and interaction characteristics in a unified approach. Our proposed Tensegrity particle systems generate minimal, stable and robust descriptions of objects in interacting situations. This represents a new and unique approach to the unified representation of multimedia objects with applications in manufacturing and entertainment. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr G Cox | ||||
| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $69,000 | $66,000 | $66,000 | $201,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Mathematical modelling of two-phase industrial granular flows | ||||
| Category: | 2905—MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING | ||||
| Project Summary: | In many industrial processes involving flowing granular materials, the effect of air pressure can be significant. Such examples include pneumatic conveying, lock hoppers and air-impact moulding. The effect of pressurised air on a granular material can either compact it, or can cause sudden large flows. To model such complex phenomena, the frictional effects between the air and the solid granules must be accurately incorporated into a two-phase continuum mechanical model for granular materials. This proposal will develop advanced mathematical models and computational procedures to predict complex two-phase granular flows for industrial problems. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Prof DP Dunne | ||||
| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $55,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $155,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Design of Improved Shape Memory Steels by Control of Parent Phase Precipitation Strengthening and Stacking Fault Energy | ||||
| Category: | 2913—METALLURGY | ||||
| Project Summary: | The aim is to develop iron-based precipitation strengthened shape memory alloys that are capable of recoverable strains > 4% and stresses > 200 MPa, for application as low cost one-way memory devices. Innovative solid solution and precipitation strengthening strategies will be employed to modify dislocation behaviour and stacking fault energy and to improve the reversibility of the martensitic transformation—the key to shape memory behaviour. The interaction of transformation dislocations with strain fields due to coherent particles and solute atoms will be elucidated. Significant increases in shape recovery stress and strain are expected because of increased alloy resistance to irreversible plastic strain. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Prof D Farrier Prof RJ Whelan |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $60,000 | $80,000 | $60,000 | $200,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Intersections between science and law: the implementation of threatened species legislation in Australia | ||||
| Category: | 3901—LAW | ||||
| Project Summary: | This project will evaluate the effectiveness of techniques currently used in threatened species legislation in Australia. By combining the skills of experts in law and ecology, we will assess the role of science and scientists in decision-making processes and the extent to which decision-makers apply the precautionary principle when faced with scientific uncertainty. The project will analyse the existing legislative techniques and possible alternatives in the context of the current theoretical debate about the respective advantages of reflexive law (which facilitates self-regulation) and top-down command-and-control regulation. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr B Ferry A/Prof JG Hedberg Dr BL Cambourne Dr JB Turbill Prof DH Jonassen |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $94,000 | $66,500 | $160,500 | |||
| Project Title: | Investigating a classroom simulation designed to support pre-service teacher decision making in planning and implementing literacy teaching | ||||
| Category: | 3303—PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS | ||||
| Project Summary: | This project investigates teacher mentor and preservice teacher participation in an online simulation of the teaching of literacy in junior primary classrooms. It will investigate how simulation can support preservice teachers to make complex sequences of decisions about the use of language and learning resources, teaching strategies and behaviour management strategies for a class of virtual students. The simulation will employ embedded cognitive tools to support teacher decision making. Once effective simulation learning of teacher performance is achieved, it will investigate the transfer of these skills to the real classrooms. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Prof LA Kane-Maguire Dr PC Innis Prof GG Wallace Dr GF Swiegers |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | 2006 $ | 2007 $ | Total $ | ||
| $140,455 | $140,455 | $150,455 | $120,455 | $130,455 | $682,275 | ||
| Project Title: | Light-Driven Chemistry with Nanostructured Polyanilines. | ||||||
| Category: | 2505—MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY | ||||||
| Project Summary: | This project seeks to understand and exploit the rich photochemistry for an important class of electrically conducting polymers, namely polyanilines. Light stimulated electron transfer events will be employed in a wide range of exciting applications. The new fundamental knowledge gained will be used to design novel photochemical routes to functionalised polyanilines. The ability to produce solutions, films and especially nanoparticles of polyanilines as photo-catalysts should result in novel light-driven processes of industrial/environmental significance (eg. reduction of carbon dioxide), as well as new light-promoted electronic communication with important biological molecules. | ||||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr B Martin | ||||
| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $30,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 | $90,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Theory and action for opposing political repression | ||||
| Category: | 3699—OTHER POLICY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE | ||||
| Project Summary: | Political repression, such as surveillance, arrests, torture and killings, sometimes rebounds against the represser in a process called “political jiu-jitsu”. The aim of this project is to investigate and reformulate the concept of political jiu-jitsu in order to understand its core components and extend its applicability. To test the theory, twelve case studies will be drawn from the areas of the technology of repression, covert operations, cyberactivism and organisational struggles. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Prof SG Pyne | ||||
| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $120,000 | $95,000 | $85,000 | $300,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Asymmetric Synthesis of Bioactive Alkaloids and Analogues via Chiral, Polylfunctionalized-Pyrrolidines | ||||
| Category: | 2503—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||||
| Project Summary: | Alkaloids are plant products that have many useful biological and pharmaceutical properties. Many of these compounds have potential as antiviral and anticancer therapeutics. This project aims to develop novel methods of preparing bioactive alkaloids and their structural analogues. These compounds potentially have applications as new potent and less toxic pharmaceutical agents. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Prof R Safavi-Naini Prof Y Desmedt Dr W Susilo |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $60,000 | $50,000 | $45,000 | $155,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Enhancing Privacy for Digital Communication | ||||
| Category: | 2804—COMPUTATION THEORY AND MATHEMATICS | ||||
| Project Summary: | Protecting one's privacy in cyber world is a challenging task. Every contact to a Web server leaves a digital footprint that can be linked with other publicly available information to compile a profile of one's activities. Anonymous communication is a powerful tool for enhancing individuals' privacy and providing services such as electronic election where a person's vote must be unlinkable to him/her. However, anonymity may be misused by criminals to hide their identities and engage in illegal activities. The aim of this project is to design and analyse privacy enhancing communication systems that balance individuals' privacy and ccountability, and develop criteria and metrics to compare performance of these systems. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr X Wang Dr M Ionescu Dr Z Cheng Dr M James Prof R Liu Prof Dr W Lang |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $90,000 | $77,000 | $78,000 | $245,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Fabrication, charge and spin ordering, magnetoresistance, and polaron effects in nano-size and single crystals of novel transition metal perovskite oxides | ||||
| Category: | 2914—MATERIALS ENGINEERING | ||||
| Project Summary: | The aim of the project is to synthesize a systematic series of novel colossal magnetoresistance manganese, cobalt and iron based transition metal perovskite oxides in the forms of nano-structures, nano-structured composites and single crystals using advanced nano-technology and crystal growth techniques. Extensive fundamental studies on magnetoresistance, spin and change ordering, and nano-scale behaviours will be carried out by neutron diffraction, synchrotron radiation, transport and magnetic measurements over a wide temperature range and magnetic fields. The outcomes of this project are likely to lead to a better understanding of the colossal magnetoresistance mechanisms, the discovery of fascinating new physical phenomena and suitable magnetoresistance materials for superior magnetic recording, sensing and switch devices | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | A/Prof AD Wells Dr GR Knight Em/Prof JS Hagan Prof RG Castle |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $75,000 | $60,000 | $50,000 | $185,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Selling their Souls: Between bound and free labour ? imperial capital and the late colonial state in Asia and Australia. | ||||
| Category: | 4301—HISTORICAL STUDIES | ||||
| Project Summary: | The role of unfree labour has been central to the debate on colonialism and the spread of global trade in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Much has been written about particular colonies, but little examines colonial labour as part of a global phenomenon. This project does so by comparing companies, workers and the state across a number of European colonies. It asks theoretically innovative questions, syntheses extant research, and requires new archival research. Findings, to be published in international journals and monograph series, will contribute to historical and contemporary debates on the impact of globalisation on labour. |
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| Chief Investigator(s): | RJ Whelan A/Prof DJ Ayre |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $73,000 | $68,000 | $141,000 | |||
| Project Title: | Fire, bees and other disturbances: the basis for variation in genetic diversity in long-lived plants. | ||||
| Category: | 2707—ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | ||||
| Project Summary: | An understanding of processes generating temporal and spatial patterns of genetic diversity in perennial plants must underpin successful conservation. Our long-term study will exploit systems in the family Proteaceae in which we have completed foundation studies. We will develop and extend molecular techniques to measure (i) genetic changes from seed to adult, (ii) gene flow by different pollinator classes, and (iii) genetic contamination by foreign gene pools, in systems affected by introduced pollinators and natural and cultivar hybridization. Most importantly, we will use fire as an accelerant of generational change and test fitness consequences of changes in genotypic diversity. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr TA Wysocki Dr A Mertins Prof JR Seberry |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $75,000 | $66,000 | $58,080 | $199,080 | ||
| Project Title: | Space-Time Block Codes using Orthogonal, Amicable, and General Designs | ||||
| Category: | 2805—DATA FORMAT | ||||
| Project Summary: | Space-time coding for multiple transmit and multiple receive antennas is the enabling technology for future wireless communication systems. Multiple antennas provide independent transmission paths resulting in an increased channel capacity without requiring costly additional bandwidth. Space-time block codes lead to the simplest receiver structures and thus to the most economical solutions. The currently known codes are based on the work of one of the CIs, but so far only a small part of that work has been utilised. We aim to fully exploit the potential of this theory and move the performance of wireless systems towards their theoretical limits. | ||||
| Chief Investigator(s): | A/Prof C Zhang A/Prof RA Lewis |
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| 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | Total $ | ||
| $75,000 | $80,000 | $40,000 | $195,000 | ||
| Project Title: | Analysis, simulation, fabrication and characterization of reliable, robust and scalable compact cooling elements based on semiconductor nanostructures | ||||
| Category: | 2918—INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING | ||||
| Project Summary: | Modern electronic, microelectronic and optoelectronic devices generally work better when they are cooler. We aim to develop a semiconductor nanostructure-cooling element, which directly integrates into existing devices. The solid-state cooling element will be reliable, robust, scalable and operate in any orientation. The basis of operation is thermionic emission—electrons are the working fluid. Our project combines (1) analysis and simulation, (2) fabrication of nanostructures and (3) experimental test benching using optical and electrical methods. The outcome of this research has the potential to revolutionize cooling of modern electronic and photonic systems, from computer motherboards to mobile phones. | ||||
| Total | 2003 $ | 2004 $ | 2005 $ | 2006 $ | 2007 $ | Total $ |
| $1,066,455 | $928,955 | $712,535 | $120,455 | $130,455 | $2,958,855 |
Reserves
| Chief Investigator(s): | Dr Alexander Gordon | ||||
| Project Title: | An analysis of the effectiveness of law enforcement and crime prevention cooperation efforts in the traffic of illicit narcotics and psychotropic substances in the Asia and Pacific Regions | ||||
| Project Summary: | Approximately 4000 young Australians died of heroin overdose in the 1990s. All heroin used illicitly in Australia is imported from Asia. Australia is also now facing a new threat from imported methamphetamines from Asia. To address the drug problem in Australia, law enforcement and crime prevention authorities need a sound understanding of the dynamics of drug markets in Asia. Equally, they need to understand the operation of Asian law enforcement, so that they can develop cooperative mechanisms that will enable them to attack the problem offshore. This project would analyse the Asian and Pacific drug market, and particularly Asian law enforcement, with a view to improving the effectiveness of Australian intervention. | ||||
Last reviewed: 25 October, 2011
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