Major Grants for funding commencing in 2015
Examples of Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and
Facilities (LIEF) projects
Australian research organisations will receive more than $28.9 million through the Australian
Research Council LIEF scheme for 66 new research projects commencing in 2015.
One example project from each state and territory is provided below.
To view the summaries of all successful projects, visit the ARC announcements page.
Australian Capital Territory
Total funding $1 580 000 for 3 projects
The Australian National University
Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Andrew Stuchbery (LE150100064)
Summary: New data acquisition capabilities for Australia's heavy ion accelerator facility:
Australia's heavy ion accelerator facility supports a wide range of high quality research in
pure and applied nuclear physics. This research relies upon multi-parameter data
acquisition, in which the pulses from many detectors are recorded event-by-event. By
replacing the facility's obsolescent data acquisition system, this project aims to update and
expand the capability for conventional analog data taking, to develop new capability for
digital data acquisition, and to enable multiple users to take data at the same time. These
features will greatly improve research possibilities and productivity for users of the heavy
ion accelerator facility.
ARC funding: $250 000
New South Wales
Total funding $8 510 068 for 20 projects
The University of New South Wales
Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Graham Greenleaf (LE150100051)
Summary: The Australasian legal history libraries stage II: Australia's leading legal historians
will partner with the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) to create a massive
expansion of free online access to Australasian legal history through digitisation and data
aggregation. The Legal History Libraries on AustLII will become a comprehensive
trans-Tasman collection from 1788-1999, including all reported case series and those from
colonial newspaper reports, and all Acts enacted, plus key collections of historical Bills,
Gazettes, legal commentaries, and Parliamentary reports. The Libraries are expected to
double in size from their current 50,000 items of cases and legislation. The Libraries will
enable previously impractical access, comparative research, and international collaborations.
Collaborating Eligible Organisations: Griffith University, Southern Cross University, The
University of Melbourne, University of Canberra, University of Notre Dame Australia, The
University of Western Australia, University of Technology, Sydney, The University of New
England, The University of Sydney, University of Western Sydney, The University of
Queensland, The Australian National University, University of Tasmania, The University of
Adelaide
ARC funding: $410 000
Northern Territory
Total funding $183 413 for 1 project
Charles Darwin University
Lead Chief Investigator: Dr Karen Joyce (LE150100181)
Summary: Fieldwork or remote sensing? The blurred line of unmanned airborne systems:
The aim of the project is to develop a state-of-the-art Unmanned Airborne System (UAS)
capability in support of field data acquisition. The system will provide highly detailed
calibrated imagery of difficult or inaccessible survey sites and bridge the scale gap between
in situ observations and imagery acquired by higher altitude airborne or satellite sensors. The
UAS will have a diverse range of applications, including environmental monitoring, disaster
management and recording sites of indigenous cultural significance. In addition, the system
will be more flexible and cost effective than any other field or remote sensing tool.
Partner Organisations: The Australian Institute of Marine Science, Northern Territory
Government, NASA Ames Research Center
ARC funding: $183 413
Queensland
Total funding $2 160 000 for 6 projects
The University of Queensland
Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Lianzhou Wang (LE150100153)
Summary: A new integrated photo-electrochemical device fabrication and testing system:
This project aims to establish an integrated fabrication and measuring system to
fundamentally understand the photo-electrochemical reaction mechanisms of advanced
materials in clean energy conversion and storage devices. The system combines a host of
facilities (including thin film deposition and measurement) to form a unique research
platform which underpins the development in many important industry sectors including
new generation solar cells, sensors, and rechargeable batteries. The intended outcomes
will lead to ground-breaking research in a variety of energy and environment related fields,
including photo-electrochemical water purification, solar fuel generation, low cost solar cells,
opto-electronics, and new energy storage devices.
Collaborating Eligible Organisations: Griffith University, Queensland University of
Technology
ARC funding: $190 000
South Australia
Total funding $2 490 000 for 7 projects
The University of Adelaide
Lead Chief Investigator: Associate Professor Benjamin Cazzolato (LE150100094)
Summary: Development of a world-class facility for three dimensional dynamic testing: This
project aims to establish a world-class facility for multi-directional dynamic testing. Currently
there are no such facilities in Australia. The ability to recreate dynamic motion in all available
degrees-of-freedom opens up enormous fields of research not currently possible in Australia.
This includes such areas as vibration testing, materials testing, biomechanics and human
factors, blast and earthquake simulations, field robotics, automotive safety research,
flight/vehicle simulation, and marine applications including sloshing of liquids and liquefaction
of fines. In conjunction with a 3D laser Doppler system this facility will be unique in the world
for dynamic mechanical testing.
Collaborating Eligible Organisations: The Flinders University of South Australia, University
of South Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Tasmania
ARC funding: $400 000
Tasmania
Total funding $760 000 for 2 projects
University of Tasmania
Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Matt King (LE150100108)
Summary: Earth's response to ice unloading—a unique GPS measurement from Antarctica:
This project aims to deploy geophysical equipment including global navigation satellite
systems within Antarctica to understand how Earth responds to changes in stress (rheology)
within the crust and upper mantle (the upper ~660 km). It exploits a globally-unique natural
experiment that commenced in 2002 with the break-up of the Larsen B Ice Shelf and which
was followed by large-scale ice-mass unloading and rapid surface deformation. New
broadband passive seismic and geodetic deformation measurements offer the promise of
resolving a dichotomy between laboratory and millennial-scale determinations of Earth
rheology through uniquely studying a time-scale mid-way between these extremes, whilst
further strengthening Australia's emerging expertise in polar geophysics.
Collaborating and Partner Organisations: The Australian National University, University of
South Florida, USA, University of Alaska
ARC funding: $190 000
Victoria
Total funding $8 661 066 for 18 projects
The University of Melbourne
Lead Chief Investigator: Dr Eric Hanssen (LE150100004)
Summary: An automated 3D electron microscopy facility: The aim of this project is to
establish the next generation of electron microscopy facility, with a fully automated tool
enabling 3D imaging. The automated serial section system incorporated in a scanning
electron microscope circumvents the limitation of transmission electron microscopy, which
provides unique insights into molecular structures and cell components at high resolution,
however, the area and volume are limited in size to a few microns. This new type of
microscope can image whole organisms and be used by non-electron microscopists. It will
be housed in an open access facility and will meet a growing demand for 3D electron
microscopy.
Collaborating and Partner Organisations: RMIT University, Murdoch Childrens Research
Institute, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
ARC funding: $540 000
Western Australia
Total funding $4 650 916 for 9 projects
The University of Western Australia
Lead Chief Investigator: Dr Anthony Kemp (LE150100013)
Summary: Laser ablation multiple split streaming: This geochemical facility with an
innovative, world-leading micro-analytical capability intends to support research of
fundamental and strategic problems at the frontiers of the Earth and Environmental
Sciences. The facility aims to allow new insight into the age, composition, thermal history and
structure of the Australian continent, as necessary for delineating mineral endowment and for
tracing the sources of ore metals. It will provide a higher resolution record of climate and
environmental change which will better inform assessment of the impacts, both locally and
regionally. It is intended that the facility will amplify national and international scientific
collaboration and create unique research opportunities for Australian-based scientists.
Collaborating and Partner Organisations: Curtin University of Technology, Macquarie
University, University of South Australia, The Australian National University, James Cook
University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
ARC funding: $860 000