Scholarship opportunities

Fast forward computation of radiation transport for emergency response, environmental protection, and national security

This project will focus on developing a novel fast computational tool for use in Australian emergency response, environmental protection, and national security applications. The expected outcome is for the model to be incorporated into relevant extant situational awareness tools and geographic information systems to enhance utility to support emergency response, environmental protection, and national security operations. First responders, national security and environmental agencies concerned with nuclear and radiological hazards will benefit from enhanced planning and operational information. 

Strategic silage use for productivity and sustainability in Northern Territory beef systems

This project will develop economically and sustainability optimised silage feeding strategies for northern beef producers. The expected outcome is to combine feeding trials on commercial properties in the NT with economic and sustainability modelling to develop improved silage feeding strategies. This project will allow data-driven decision making by northern cattle producers to optimise feeding strategies for better economic and sustainability outcomes. 

Multimodal sensing intelligence for aerial robots in bushfire mitigation and pest management

This project develops advanced multimodal sensing techniques for next-generation aerial robots to improve bushfire mitigation and pest management. The expected outcome is a robotic sensing prototype for real-time monitoring. This technology will deliver customer, national, industry, and public benefits through enhanced safety, sustainability, cost-efficiency, and support for Indigenous manufacturing. 

Every drop counts: ensuring water security in a changing climate in southwest Australia

This project investigates the impacts of climate change and land use change on water availability and quality in Southwest Australia. The expected outcome is to develop and assess management strategies to increase water yield and reduce sedimentation and evaporation losses. The project will support long-term water security for local communities and ecosystems. 

Smartphone for triage to detect stroke

This project will focus on AI based voice analysis to assess patients in the emergency departments to assist in early detection of stroke conditions. The expected outcome is to develop interactive software and AI modelling focusing on responsible AI, overcoming gender, ethnicity and age-related biases. The potential benefit of this project is to reduce misdiagnosis that takes place in hospitals due to differences in gender, age and ethnicity.

Investigating interactions between sulfide minerals and in-situ recovery fluids for copper mining

In-situ recovery (ISR) is emerging as a transformative technique for the extraction of copper (Cu) from Australian sediment-hosted deposits and reprocessing of mine tailings. In contrast to conventional hard-rock mining, ISR offers a non-invasive, environmentally sustainable and economically viable alternative, with the potential to unlock copper resources from low-grade or marginal deposits. As Cu is essential for the electrification of transport and renewable energy systems, ISR technologies hold significant potential to contribute to the global development and deployment of low-carbon energy and transport infrastructure in a manner that minimise impacts on the environment and local communities. This project, in collaboration with EnviroCopper Ltd, will investigate the mineralogical, geochemical, biological and kinetic aspects of fluid-rock interactions during ISR of the Kapunda Cu deposit, South Australia. By addressing these aspects, it will advance our understanding of ISR processes and support its broader adoption at both national and global scale.

Valuing non-crop vegetation in horticultural landscapes of Australia

This project will explore the extent to which areas on farms such as semi-natural vegetation, tree plantings, woodlands, and shelterbelts benefit producers through ecological mechanisms, such as enhancing pollinators or pest predators along with broader aesthetic and Indigenous cultural benefits. The outcome of this project will provide an improved understanding of the scale and relative importance of these benefits in the agricultural production landscape of northern New South Wales. This project will directly support horticulturalists in the region and guide future policy.

Quantum-AI for food security and student wellbeing

This project develops quantum-AI tools to optimise urban hydroponic food systems and evaluate their therapeutic impact on student well-being. The expected outcome is to create quantum-reinforced AI algorithms for resource-efficient hydroponics and evidence-based frameworks for integrating green space exposure for improved student wellbeing. This project will potentially enhance urban food resilience, reduce resource waste, and create scalable mental health interventions, advancing national sustainability and education priorities. 

Distributed trust AI for solar energy sustainability in commercial settings

This project develops a scheme and prototype for utilising advanced AI technologies to manage and efficient utilise of solar energy. The expected outcomes is an energy sharing trustworthy framework that enables commercial customers reducing energy bills. The project will lead to a sustainable solution for SMEs and contribute to environment protection.

AI-empowered visual recognition system for dairy cow identification, health and behaviour monitoring

This project develops an AI-driven system to identify individual cows, and monitor and detect their health and behaviour, through the use of facial recognition, posture analysis, and thermal imaging. The expected outcome is early detection of illness and abnormal activity of cows. This project will support productivity, reduce losses, and improve animal welfare in the dairy industry.