September 18, 2026
Future Fellowships back UOW research on society’s biggest challenges
Projects to span climate adaptation, material science, childhood screen habits and digital security
Four University of Wollongong (UOW) researchers have been awarded $4.5 million through the Australian Research Council (ARC) 2026 Future Fellowships scheme to tackle urgent problems in public health, climate change, cybersecurity, and physics.
Dr Chantel Carr, Dr David Cortie, Professor Bridget Kelly, and Associate Professor Khoa Nguyen were among the more than 290 successful recipients of the research grants announced last week by the ARC to support outstanding mid-career researchers.
“This is a fantastic outcome for these four outstanding mid-career researchers and for UOW. It is a testament to their curiosity, leadership and research expertise, and speaks directly to the challenges that our communities, in the Illawarra and further afield, are facing,” said Professor Alan Rowan, UOW’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation).
“Congratulations to Dr Carr, Dr Cortie, Professor Kelly, and Associate Professor Nguyen on this prestigious achievement. I look forward to seeing the impact their projects will have.”
Dr Chantel Carr, Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space
Every day, Australia’s frontline workers are learning how to navigate climate risks, such as heatwaves, energy poverty, and infrastructure failures. Dr Carr’s research will uncover the practical skills these workers build and how this knowledge filters through different industries and communities. Focusing on the experiences of home-based care and council maintenance workers, her project will turn these insights into evidence-based recommendations to support those on the frontline of the changing climate.
Dr David Cortie, Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials
Dr Cortie will develop a new type of microscope and camera to image through materials using neutron beams. Neutrons, like X-rays, can reveal the invisible by imaging through solid objects. The project will study the quantum physics underlying neutron techniques to develop a new type of focusing lens to increase the resolution, and new forms of secondary detectors based on quantum light-detection technologies. This could improve understanding of batteries, advanced energy materials and quantum magnets, with wider benefits for physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and medicine.
Professor Bridget Kelly, School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences
Professor Kelly’s study investigates how exposure to unhealthy food marketing in online media influences Australian children’s diets over time. Her project will measure exactly what unhealthy food marketing children see and link it to their dietary intake, food attitudes, and food purchases. It will also look at the impact of the social media age restrictions to help shape policy reform, address obesity rates and protect children from harmful digital marketing.
Associate Professor Khoa Nguyen, School of Computing and Information Technology
Associate Professor Nguyen’s project advances the next generation of privacy-preserving cryptography, technologies that safeguard how digital information is shared, verified and protected. Current approaches cannot balance privacy with accountability and will soon be exposed to the risks of quantum computing. This project will build smarter, adaptable cryptographic tools that enable controlled and secure digital communications, helping Australia to lead the global shift to quantum-safe technology.
The UOW researchers secured a collective $4.5 million in funding for their four-year Fellowships. The Future Fellowships, awarded by the Australian Government, support mid-career researchers to undertake high-quality research in areas of national and international benefit.