The funding will support 16 UNSW-led research partnerships tackling some of the nation's most pressing challenges.
UNSW Sydney has been awarded more than $9.1 million from the Australian Research Council (ARC) to support collaborative research projects spanning biosecurity, sustainable farming, disaster resilience and quantum computing.
The funding was awarded through the ARC Linkage Projects scheme , which committed more than $99.8 million nationally to 178 research partnerships between universities, industry, government and community organisations.
The 16 UNSW-led projects spread across the Engineering, Science, and Arts, Design & Architecture faculties, align with Australia's National Science and Research Priorities .
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise, Professor Bronwyn Fox, said the projects highlighted UNSW's research strengths and leadership in delivering real-world impact.
"UNSW is uniquely positioned to bring together world-class expertise, industry partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle some of the nation's most pressing challenges," Prof. Fox said.
"From quantum technologies and sustainable infrastructure to refugee wellbeing and climate resilience, these projects highlight the breadth of UNSW's research strengths and our commitment to translating innovation into practical outcomes that benefit Australia's economy, communities and future prosperity."
ARC Chief Executive Officer Professor Ute Roessner said the investment demonstrated how collaborative research could deliver tangible benefits for Australia.
"Strong partnerships are essential to ensuring Australian research delivers benefits to industry and the community," Prof. Roessner said. "These projects bring together diverse expertise to address challenges that matter - supporting healthier communities, more sustainable industries and innovative approaches to complex national issues."
The successful projects from UNSW are:
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Engineering
Quantum computing for evacuation management
- Awardee: Professor Vinayak Dixit
- Grant: $563,638
- Disaster management relies on timely and accurate information to respond efficiently. This project leverages SQC's Quantum Machine Learning (QML) hardware and NSW SES's emergency management expertise and datasets to develop novel QML models for real world emergencies. The project will deliver the world's first application of quantum computing for emergency services.
Regional planning under disaster risk
- Awardee: Professor Vinayak Dixit
- Grant total: $350,288
- This project will help governments and emergency services make better decisions about housing, evacuation planning and disaster response in risk areas. Combining virtual reality, behavioural modelling, traffic simulation and economic analysis, the research will support socially just, risk-informed and affordable regional strategies.
A portable platform for antibiotic detection
- Awardee: Associate Professor Ming Li
- Grant total: $759,911
- This project aims to develop a transformative technology platform for real-time measuring of antibiotic levels. By integrating microfluidics, biosensing, composite materials and machine learning, this innovative approach will revolutionise antibiotic monitoring across health care, food, environmental and agricultural sectors.
Testing interactions with human cells
- Awardee: Professor Megan Lord
- Grant total: $482,474
- This project will create new screening platforms that better mimic the surface of human cells, allowing researchers to more accurately and efficiently test how medicines, medical devices and other products interact with the body. The technology could improve product development while reducing the need for animal testing.
Improving durable recycled asphalt
- Awardee: Associate Professor Ailar Hajimohammadi
- Grant total: $373,348
- This project aims to improve the long-term performance of asphalt made with high recycled content by developing ageing protocols and optimising binder rejuvenation strategies. The project will use innovative laboratory simulations and advanced chemical imaging techniques to better understand how recycled and virgin materials interact.
Catchment monitoring to protect our water future
- Awardee: Associate Professor Fiona Johnson
- Grant total: $448,212
- This project proposes to develop new methods for integrating and harmonising data on catchment health to enable better water management under a changing climate. The project will combine an innovative virtual catchment laboratory approach with cutting-edge statistical and data-driven methods to address missing data and bring together diverse sources of catchment knowledge.
Semiconductor device characterisation
- Awardee: Dr Michael Nielsen
- Grant: $702,872
- This project will develop new laser-based techniques to better examine and test the materials used in solar cells, computer chips and other electronic devices. The research focuses on improving how scientists measure silicon, the world's most used semiconductor, and adapting these methods for newer types of advanced electronic materials.
Smart fertiliser technologies for sustainable farming
- Awardee: Associate Professor Kang Liang
- Grant: $574,541
- This project aims to develop next-generation nanofertilisers for sustainable agriculture by engineering sprayable nanoparticles for foliar nutrient delivery. The project introduces a new platform that enables precise, controlled release of macro- and micronutrients directly onto crop leaves.
Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions
- Awardee: Associate Professor Min Zheng
- Grant: $803,384
- This project aims to develop a new, low-energy solution to convert methane into carbon dioxide using specially designed biofilm interfaces, helping to efficiently reduce methane emissions from sewer ventilation air. The outcomes will support early emission reduction efforts and establish a scalable technology to support zero-emission targets.
Future quantum computing
- Awardee: Associate Professor Jarryd Pla
- Grant: $589,526
- This project aims to develop scalable technology for reading the states of millions of quantum bits in a quantum computer made from spins in silicon. The project will use an innovative approach based on high kinetic inductance superconductors.
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Science
Optimising silicon chips
- Awardee: Professor Alexander Hamilton
- Grant total: $469,498
- This project will develop new ways to test and improve silicon chips designed to operate at extremely low temperatures. These chips are needed for space applications, future quantum technologies and for making energy-efficient computers.
Enhancing refugee wellbeing in Australia
- Awardee: Professor Angela Nickerson
- Grant total: $899,224
- Refugees often show poorer psychological, social and economic outcomes. This project aims to improve refugee adaptation through a brief, skills-based intervention designed to strengthen social connections and resilience. Study outcomes will inform how settlement services can better support refugees.
Powering wearable sweat sensors
- Awardee: Professor Dewei Chu
- Grant: $833,580
- This project aims to develop wearable, self-powered electrochemical sensors which can continuously detect biomarkers in sweat for healthcare monitoring applications.
Next-generation biodegradable adhesives
- Awardee: Professor Thanh Vinh Nguyen
- Grant: $299,998
- This project aims to develop new biodegradable adhesives which will effectively bond various biodegradable materials while maintaining their structural integrity and performance. The significance of this research lies in its potential to replace toxic synthetic adhesives with safer, eco-friendly alternatives.
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Arts, Design & Architecture
Promoting lesbian, bisexual and queer women's sexual wellbeing
- Awardee: Dr Kerryn Drysdale
- Grant: $525,972
- Meaningful collaboration between sectors is needed to identify LBQ+ women's comprehensive and holistic sexual and reproductive health needs within and across community settings. The project will develop inclusive, affirming health promotion frameworks to inform a nationally scaled action plan.
Transforming Australian design culture
- Awardee: Dr Mark Jones
- Grant total: $519,832
- This project aims to investigate the role of the department store in the promotion of international design ideas and practises in postwar Australia. Partnering with Powerhouse and Art Gallery of New South Wales, this study focuses on David Jones' ground-breaking 1950s-70s international exhibitions as a case study.
These projects highlight the breadth of UNSW's research strengths and our commitment to translating innovation into practical outcomes that benefit Australia's economy, communities and future prosperity.
Read more about the funded projects here .
