More grant successes for MSE

News, Research — By Jennifer Thomas on November 17, 2011 12:29 pm

The Melbourne School of Engineering has had a successful year in attracting research income. In the recent round of ARC grants announced on November 14, the School has received four Future Fellowship grants and three Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRAs). In addition, Dr Tuan Ngo from the Department of Infrastructure Engineering has been awarded a CSIRO Flagship Collaboration Project grant.

Congratulations to Professor Greg Qiao and Dr Angus Johnston, from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Associate Professor James Bailey, from the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering and Dr Nick Hutchins from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who were successful in their Future Fellowship grant applications.

Professor Qiao will investigate “Engineering macromolecular architectures for targeted applications”. This project will use intelligent design to synthesise highly complex polymer architectures for targeted applications. The advances of this research will be expanded to target ultrathin gas separation membranes, self- assembling star polymers for drug delivery and fluorinated macromonomers for in-vivo biodistribution studies.

Dr Johnston will explore ‘Bridging the interface between nanoengineered materials and biological systems”. Advances in nanotechnology have the potential to revolutionise how we treat many diseases. Nanoengineered drug carriers can deliver drugs to the areas in the body where they are required, limiting harmful side effects. This project will investigate how nanomaterials interact with biological systems and understand any potential side effects.

Associate Professor Bailey will analyse “Smart comparison and assessment of prediction models for better health using next generation data mining”. This project will develop principles for the smart management of large collections of prediction models using data mining, enabling more timely medical interventions for Australians to live healthier and longer. Prediction models can be used to provide early warning of events, such as adverse medical outcomes.

Dr Hutchings will investigate “Environmentally sustainable shipping through improved understanding and management of wall-bounded turbulence”. The thin region of turbulent flow that is pulled along by a ship’s hull as it moves through the water accounts for up to 90 per cent of the overall resistance and a large amount of the fuel burnt. This project aims to control or tame recurrent flow patterns within these turbulent regions to reduce resistance, overall fuel cost and emissions from shipping.

Dr Balazs Csaji and Dr Alex Leong, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Dr Judy Lee, from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering are also to be congratulated for receiving ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards.

Dr Csaji will be working on “Distribution-free system identification: building models from experimental data under minimal statistical assumptions”. In fields with strict safety or quality requirements, such as production control, communication and navigation, there is a great need for methods that can build models with guaranteed performance. However, there is a lack of efficient solutions that can work under minimal assumptions on the disturbances; the project aims at developing such methods.

Dr Leong will explore “Estimation and control algorithms over wireless networks”.The use of wireless technologies in areas such as mobile communications has provided great benefits to society. Investigating estimation and control algorithms that are reliable when operating over the wireless environment will enable new technologies such as better management of Australia’s water resources, and more fuel-efficient transportation.

Dr Lee will investigate “Adding value to wastewater treatment – ultrasound enhanced crystallisation”. The difficulty of disposing of concentrated liquid wastes is forcing industries to reassess their waste treatment processes and strive for zero liquid discharge. This project will add value to industrial waste by improving extraction of purified water and valuable solutes from such concentrates by combining ultrasound with crystallisation processes.

Finally, Dr Tuan Ngo has been successful in winning a CSIRO Collaboration project grant to develop a novel composite structural system for defense and civil applications.  An interdisciplinary research collaboration will be establisthed between the Advanced Protective Technologies for Engineering Structure (APTES) research group of the University of Melbourne and CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship to tackle complicated and multi-thrust objectives of building innovative composite structures for military and civil protection against terrorism and natural disaster threats.

Tags: chemical and biomolecular engineering, computer science and software engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, infrastructure engineering, mechanical engineering, MSE, research