Monash University has been awarded more than $3.87 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grants to lead three groundbreaking research collaborations and partner on a fourth, addressing critical issues from steel decarbonisation to Indigenous heritage preservation and wildlife conservation.
The four projects – spanning sectors including manufacturing, migration, conservation and cultural heritage – represent Monash's deep commitment to research partnerships that deliver real-world impact. The funding awarded to Monash-led and partnered projects forms part of the ARC's Linkage Projects 2024 Round 2 announcement.
The ARC Linkage scheme fosters collaboration between researchers and industry, government and community organisations, supporting long-term partnerships to address Australia's most pressing challenges. The 2024 Round 2 awarded $46.6 million to 75 projects nationwide.
"These projects exemplify the strength and relevance of Monash research," said Professor Robyn Ward, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) and Senior Vice-President at Monash University.
"From helping decarbonise the steel industry to ensuring the survival of Australia's iconic wildlife and preserving Indigenous knowledge, they showcase the impact that collaborative, purpose-driven research has in Australia and globally."
Monash-led projects
Greener steels for the automotive industry
Funding: $555,775
Partners: ArcelorMittal Maizieres – Global Research and Development
Investigators: Professor Christopher Hutchinson, Dr Yuxiang Wu, Dr Artem Arlazarov
This project will explore how higher nitrogen levels in recycled steel affect its properties, paving the way for stronger, low-emissions steels suitable for high-performance applications like car manufacturing.
Enhancing breeding success for marsupials and monotremes
Funding: $1,197,682
Partners: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Zoos Victoria, Australian Animals Care and Education Inc, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Investigators: Associate Professor Lisandra Martin, Associate Professor Stephen Johnston, Professor Peter Hoffmann, Dr Kerry Fanson, Professor Enes Makalic, Professor Marilyn Renfree
This project aims to dramatically improve the success of captive and wild breeding programs for koalas, wombats, platypuses and echidnas, which is vital to preventing extinction and safeguarding Australia's unique biodiversity. It will develop non-invasive, cost-effective methods to monitor reproductive hormones in faeces, offering critical new tools for wildlife conservation.
Revitalising knowledge of Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung cultural heritage
Funding: $1,216,951
Partners: Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Museums Victoria
Investigators: Dr Christopher Urwin, Professor Lynette Russell, Professor Ian McNiven, Dr Michelle Richards, Dr Jason Gibson, Associate Professor Martin Tomko, Dr Brian Armstrong, Dr Nathan Wright, Dr Shannon Faulkhead, Mr William Muir, Mr Dermot Henry, Dr Elspeth Hayes, Dr Quan Hua
This project will investigate under-studied Aboriginal artefact collections from southeast Australia using archaeology, traditional knowledge and cutting-edge science. It will generate new insights into how Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people lived and managed Country, and lay the groundwork for future Aboriginal Keeping Places.
Monash as a collaborating organisation
A Tale of Two Cities: Long-run social and economic mobility in Australia
Funding: $903,456
Partners: Genealogy SA, Digital History Tasmania Ltd, Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages, State Records, State Library of South Australia
Investigators: Associate Professor Lionel Frost (Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University), Professor Martin Shanahan, Professor Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, Dr Florian Ploeckl, Dr John Wilson, Associate Professor Jenny Wise, Dr Lisa Hackett, Dr Adrian Graves
This project explores how nature and nurture shaped the life outcomes of the children of convicts and passage-assisted migrants in Australia. By linking more than 3 million digitised convict-era records, the team will trace thousands of life courses across South Australia and Tasmania. The project combines historical, economic and computational methods to generate new insights into intergenerational mobility and will produce world-class linked datasets to support future research.
For a full list of funded projects, visit the ARC announcement.
