November 2023 SCS Awards

In the past six months, Mulong Xie has made outstanding contributions to research, innovation, and commercialisations. He has co-authored a paper that received the SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award at the prestigious International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2024). He is leading the development of innovative applications such as the Responsible AI chatbot and the Risk Assessment Questionnaire for the AI for Missions project. He is also leading the commercialisation of Universal Task Assistant, a smart device assistant that earned him the Facilitator Prize in the OnPrime Program. Notably, this initiative has attracted interest from the NSW Government, Telstra, the NSW State Library, and several nonprofit organisations.

Garrison Gao’s outstanding contributions to the field of cybersecurity are exemplified by his achievements as first author of “DeepTheft: Stealing DNN Model Architectures through Power Side Channel”, accepted at the prestigious IEEE S&P 2024, a CORE A* venue and a target for Data61. Additionally, his co-first authorship of “CASSOCK: Viable Backdoor Attacks against DNN in the Wall of Source-Specific Backdoor Defenses,” which received a distinguished paper award at ASIACCS 2023, and co-authorship of another paper, which was recognised as a finalist for the best paper award at SRDS 2023 further underscores his research calibre.

The Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in AI Team, despite its modest size and challenge of conducting research in an unexplored domain, has achieved significant scientific and technological advances with national, international, and commercial importance. Over the last six months, the team has (i) produced numerous research publications, (ii) developed comprehensive guidelines, specialised tools, and methodologies for D&I in AI, and (iii) engaged in impactful collaborations with external organizations, including ABC, SEEK, Suncorp, and the Australian Sports Commission. Furthermore, they have been actively involved in science communication, service to key conference and journals, and community-building efforts, such as organising the inaugural D&I in AI symposium, demonstrating their dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion in AI.

Muneera Bano is an experienced researcher in the fields of STEM and AI, showcasing expertise across diverse domains such as human-centered AI, responsible AI, and diversity and inclusion. Through extensive research contributions, collaborative engagements with leading institutions globally, impactful mentorship, and effective science communication, she has made significant strides in advancing knowledge and fostering inclusivity in these areas. Her achievements, including being a finalist for the 2023 Women in Tech Asia-Pacific awards, underscore her potential to further elevate her career and contribute to the advancement of science and diversity.

Mengyu Chen is an early career researcher who has demonstrated expertise in RAI through her pivotal contributions to projects like AI4M and Feasibility Study of Indigenous Information Tracing System. Her outstanding academic achievements, highlighted by Best Paper Awards and substantial contributions to multiple ARC projects, underscore her potential in the field. Of particular note is Mengyu’s proactive involvement in AI-related summits, and her commitment to bridging academia and industry reflecting her leadership qualities and potential to drive impactful change in the field of AI.

The team, in collaboration with researchers and engineers from the A&F BU, developed the Science Data Navigator system to enhance data analysis in agriculture. Integrating cutting-edge techniques and methods from various fields such as data engineering, data science, AI/ML, bioinformatics, and food science, the system enables the integration, exploration, and analysis of pulse crop data from various sources to offer transformative insights into crop quality, yield, and food properties. Science Data Navigator has become a major investment of the AI4M project and will be tested by food manufacturers, such as AB Mauri, for potential use in the food industry.

Xinlong Guan is a highly skilled fill-stack software engineer who has made significant contributions to projects such as Marine Visual Technologies, and the 6G Security and Privacy Mechanism by Design. He has also helped update and extend the Privacy Reidentification Tool, showcasing his deep understanding and skill in full-stack software development. The software prototype from the MVT project is being delivered to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority for further trial with industry stakeholders, while the R4 tool has been passed on to a SME and is now a commercial offering.

Nan Wang has made a significant advancement in the field of zero-knowledge range proofs with the development of the SwinftRange protocol, which exhibits a promising balance between proof size and verification time. His work has been accepted at IEEE S&P 2024, a CORE A* security conference. Furthermore, Nan is actively working on extending his research to further improve communication and computational efficiency.

Shahroz Tariq is conducting impactful research in critical areas including human-AI teaming and collaboration, deepfakes, and cybersecurity, showcasing his dedication to addressing contemporary challenges in technology and security. He is also demonstrating leadership potential through his international collaborations, workshop organisations, reviewing for top venues, and active mentorship activities making him a highly accomplished early career researcher deserving of recognition.

Jiafan is the first author of “Unus pro omnibus: Multi-Client Searchable Encryption via Access Control” accepted at NDSS 2024, which is ranked CORE A* and is a target venue for Data61. In that work, he proposed a new notion of delegatable searchable encryption, showcasing innovative thinking in the domain. Additionally, he proposed a searchable encryption scheme designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers. This work was presented at ICDCS 2023 (CORE-A).

Eromanga showcased excellent quantum engineering capability by building a demo for end-to-end verification of quantum programs for presentation at the Army’s Quantum Technology Challenge 2023. Despite being new to quantum computing, Eromanga demonstrated a commendable effort in acquiring and applying theoretical frameworks on completeness, soundness, and constructing Hamiltonians, clock states, and history states. Her work not only involved intricate implementation but also reflected a rapid and comprehensive understanding of complex quantum concepts.

The team developed OptimShare, an innovative solution for privacy-preserving data sharing that enables sharing of sensitive data between government and private organisations. Through close collaboration with WA Health and WA PTA, the team demonstrated deep understanding of each customer’s specific needs, resulting in a tailored solution to address specific requirements. Regular meetings with these partners reflect a commitment to ongoing improvement, ensuring OptimShare remains effective and relevant in real-world applications.

The team worked closely with industry partner Bayer to develop a prototype blockchain-based solution for monitoring the supply chain of XtendFLex Cotton in the Australian market. This project was a follow-up, focussing on expanding the proof-of-concept into a base-level prototype using actual customer data. Throughout both phases, the project team prioritised the needs and feedback of Bayer and its partners, resulting in a solution that not only meets performance and security requirements but also integrates seamlessly with Bayer’s existing systems. The positive feedback from Bayer’s Digital Transformation IT Business Partner highlights the collaborative and customer-centric approach taken by Data61, affirming its commitment to delivering innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of its clients.

Wei has demonstrated exceptional commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of the customer in his development of Smart Bin Technologies for MGX Circle8. Through proactive engagement and deep industry insights, Wei and his team devised innovative solutions that address contamination issues and contribute to Australia’s circular economy goals. Their dedication is evident in regular workshops and meetings, ensuring alignment with evolving requirements and resulting in a successful smart bin design tailored to MGX Circle8’s needs. His impactful work, recognised as iAward finalists and patented in 2023, underscores his unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and societal benefit.

The team has developed a highly productive international partnership with Sungkyunkwan University, which began with hosting a visiting female scientist in 2022. Subsequently, the collaboration advanced significantly with the successful joint application for research funding from the NST-CSIRO Joint Funding Project Scheme 2023-2025. This successful grant also involves ETRI, South Korea’s largest government-funded research institute, equivalent to Data61.

The collaboration with Uncle Charlie’s Tastes of Country, a 100% Aboriginal-owned business, showcases a commitment to promoting Indigenous contributions and community development through transparent price distribution. Initially launched through a CSIRO Kick-start initiative, the project’s innovative approach to tracing and sharing Indigenous knowledge related to food production and price distribution transactions has been recognised for its impact. The success of the feasibility study has prompted the submission of an application for the CSIRO Indigenous Research Grant to advance prototype development further.