Research Success

Integrated circuit models: The future of advanced light detector technology (PDF File 109.8 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Tara Hamilton from the MARCS Institute and Dr Dennis Delic from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) have received funding to redesign light detector chips for increased efficiency, picture clarity, and decreased size. This research aims to make the devices significantly smaller, and create a world first high-density version.

Can noise stimulation help fight peripheral neuropathy symptoms? (PDF File 248.9 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Paul Breen of the MARCS Institute has received NHMRC funding to test a new electrical noise stimulation device on people with peripheral neuropathy. The project aims to identify how this technology interacts with neural signals, find the frequency spectrum that produces the greatest reduction in symptoms, and determine the effects on mobility & balance in people suffering from this condition.

What is 'normal'? (PDF File 268.3 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Mark Kelly from the School of Humanities and Communication Arts has been granted funding from the ARC’s Future Fellowships program to produce the first historical account of three concepts which influence our day-to-day lives: norms, normality and normativity. This project will examine where these concepts came from and how they are used today, particularly within the life sciences, and ethical and legal institutions.

Maximising language instruction in Australia (PDF File 211.3 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Mark Antoniou of the MARCS Institute has received an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) to investigate and improve methods of teaching a second language to individuals of a variety of backgrounds. Supporting this project is Professor Patrick Wong from the Chinese University of Hong Kong who will help provide international participants.

Disaster relief and economic resilience in Monsoon Asia (PDF File 142.2 KB) (opens in a new window)
Professor Katherine Gibson of the Institute for Culture & Society and team have been awarded ARC Discovery Projects funding to investigate ways of coping with natural and economic disasters in South and Southeast Asia. The project aims to map the unique economic practices that aid recovery from catastrophes, and create a knowledge sharing network to strengthen resilience across the region.

Can humans consciously control the formation of their 'gut reactions'? (PDF File 211.4 KB) (opens in a new window)
Why can brand names evoke immediate emotional responses which influence purchasing decisions, yet even the most earnest public safety campaign fails to change behaviour? Dr Gabrielle Weidemann and Professor Catherine Stevens from the MARCS Institute will examine the mechanism behind the acquisition of these reactions. This project has received ARC Discovery Projects program funding.

Getting the low-down on bottom-up processing in speech recognition (PDF File 208.6 KB) (opens in a new window)
Professor Christopher Davis and Associate Professor Jeesun Kim of the MARCS Institute have received funding through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects program to explore the cognitive processes that allow people to understand what is being said in a noisy environment.

Tracing language heritage in Italian-Australians (PDF File 257.7 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Catherine Best from the MARCS Institute will lead an international team to investigate the continuity of regional Italian accents and dialects in Italian-Australian immigrants. This project will map accent and dialect traces in individuals, and measure the perception of them by Italians living in those regions. This project has received Research Partnerships Program funding.

Simulating the effects of health policies on an ageing Australian population (PDF File 301.3 KB) (opens in a new window)
Associate Professor Federico Girosi and Dr Shima Ghassem Pour from the Centre for Health Research have been granted funding from the Capital Markets CRC to predict the trajectory of Australia’s near-elderly population in terms of their health conditions, services, and expenditures.

Community land trusts: The new Australian dream? (PDF File 304.3 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Louise Crabtree of the Institute for Culture and Society and Professor Carolyn Sappideen from the School of Law have been awarded Research Partnerships Program funding to conduct three case studies as a trial-run of community land trust housing developments in Australia, creating legal templates for market use.

Getting the best start for remote Indigenous children (PDF File 94.7 KB) (opens in a new window)
Associate Professor Caroline Jones of the MARCS Institute and team, in partnership with Sunrise Health Service and the Smith Family, have received ARC Linkage Project funding to investigate the effects of the LiTTLe Program, an early childhood language program for Aboriginal children & caregivers in remote communities in the Northern Territory.

New-style Islamic movements in Indonesia: Implications for Australian-Indonesian relations (PDF File 280.6 KB) (opens in a new window)
Professor Julia Howell from the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, and Associate Professor Mark Woodward from Arizona State University have received ARC Discovery Projects funding to study a new 'counter-radical' Islamic movement in Indonesia. This research will inform Australian policy making concerning Indonesia, as well as public perceptions of Islam and the Islamic world.

Enriching English language skills for future generations (PDF File 160.8 KB) (opens in a new window)
Professor Margaret Somerville and a team of researchers have been granted funding from the NSW Department of Education and Communities to investigate the English language skills of Australian children from non-standard English backgrounds, as well as language backgrounds other than English.

Stopping the downward spiral: Can volunteers improve the health of homeless Australians? (PDF File 314.2 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Renu Narchal from the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, along with Dr Ahmed Moustafa and Dr Valentine Mukuria, have been granted Catholic Community Services funding to investigate the role of volunteers in improving the quality of life of homeless people. This research aims to help health and welfare organisations create better support programs for the homeless.

There and back again: The staggered pathways of Asian migrants (PDF File 240.4 KB) (opens in a new window)
Dr Shanthi Robertson from the Institute for Culture and Society has received ARC DECRA funding to investigate changing migration patterns between Asian countries and Australia. The project will examine how the subjective experiences of temporary migrants are affected by immigration policies, & develop ways to analyse temporal-spatial pathways in an increasingly globalised mobility landscape.