Researchers have received more than $4.6 million to collaborate with industry and government partners on wide-ranging projects, including solar energy, water quality and Aboriginal land rights.
UNSW Sydney researchers from the faculties of Engineering, Science and Arts, Design & Architecture have been awarded more than $4.6 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grants , with the University topping the nation for the number of successful projects.
UNSW's Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise, Professor Bronwyn Fox, congratulated the researchers for receiving the highly competitive grants.
"ARC Linkage Projects play an important role in supporting national and international strategic partnerships that translate research into practical benefits, strengthening Australia's innovation pipeline and boosting capabilities across sectors.
"With nine ARC Linkage grants this round - more than any other Australian university - and across a range of disciplines, it's wonderful to see UNSW at the forefront of innovative research partnerships that will drive benefits for all."
The Linkage Projects scheme supports initiatives that turn research into practical benefits, enhance Australia's innovation pipeline and improve capabilities across various sectors.
Solving global challenges through partnership
Scientia Professor Xiaojing Hao from UNSW Engineering was awarded $670,000 for the project 'Inks development for commercial manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics'. Working with Phoenixolar Technology, the project aims to commercialise the latest perovskite photovoltaic (solar) technology breakthroughs by developing scalable manufacturing processes and enhancing solar module stability.
Professor Michael Manefield from UNSW Engineering was awarded $653,379 for his project 'Next generation groundwater clean-up technologies'. The team aims to develop chemical catalysts to accelerate the degradation of toxic contaminants in water and use computer models to predict contaminant degradation rates. Together with partner Orica, the team hopes to take their world-first approach to market, to reduce clean-up costs, duration and impact for the contaminated land and groundwater industry.
Dr Naama Blatman-Thomas from UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture was awarded $645,723 for the project 'Aboriginal-led pathways to community benefit on Aboriginal land'. UNSW researchers will work with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure NSW, Ethos Urban and several local Aboriginal Land Councils to identify, develop and amplify pathways to collective rights and benefits for Aboriginal communities from and on returned stolen land.
Associate Professor Christopher Marquis from UNSW Science was awarded $554,000 for the project 'Advanced microcarriers for cell-based manufacturing'. In collaboration with UNSW Professor Kris Kilian and Sydney-based Smart MCs, the team will develop and test innovative solutions to build next-generation micro-scale biomaterials for large-scale cell culture. Cell culture processes are used to produce a range of therapeutic products, including anti-cancer protein molecules, viral vaccines and viral products to deliver new gene therapies. This research will strengthen Australia's biotech industry and better position the country as a leader in biologics manufacturing.
Scientia Professor Alexander Hamilton from UNSW Science was awarded $524,359 for the project 'Overcoming challenges to fabricating spin qubits at an industrial level'. The UNSW team will combine their expertise in 'hole' quantum devices with industry partner Imec's chip fabrication technology and facilities to optimise the design and fabrication of silicon-based spin qubits on an industrial scale. The outcomes will identify critical materials parameters for scaling up to large numbers of qubits, and open new routes to spin-based quantum computing based on semiconductor holes.
Professor Bing-Jie Ni from UNSW Engineering was awarded $494,978 for the project 'Greening wastewater treatment process for efficient resource recovery'. Working with industry partners Sustainable Eco Projects, South East Water, and Standard Botanic, the project team aims to develop an innovative system for wastewater treatment that produces valuable bio-stimulants for agricultural use with near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The research will substantially benefit Australian industries and research communities, advancing sustainable practice in wastewater management and resource recovery.
With nine ARC Linkage grants this round - more than any other Australian university - and across a range of disciplines, it's wonderful to see UNSW at the forefront of innovative research partnerships that will drive benefits for all.
Professor Wen Hu from UNSW Engineering was awarded $488,000 for the project 'Intelligent transport for vision-impaired passengers with mmWave sensors.' Together with Peerside Services, the researchers aim to assist individuals with vision impairment by developing the world's first tag-aided wearable mmWave radar - a high-frequency radar that uses millimetre waves to identify objects and their position and motion accurately. The wearable radar detects obstacles and signs equipped with low-power backscattering tags, which reflect and encode radio waves without generating their own signal. Information is then relayed to the wearer through a combination of auditory cues, tactile feedback and smartphone displays. This non-intrusive sensing approach could lead to smarter, safer and more inclusive transport systems for vision-impaired users.
Emeritus Professor Stephen Foster from UNSW Engineering was awarded $306,134 for the project 'Shear Crack Characterisation in RC Members with High-Strength Steel'. Strengthened steel bar reinforcement products are not currently used in concrete construction due to a lack of understanding of crack mechanics. In collaboration with InfraBuild Australia, this research will provide crucial data to engineers and standards bodies, addressing this knowledge gap and creating a pathway to use more sustainable, higher-performance construction materials.
Associate Professor Wengui Li from UNSW Engineering was awarded $286,052 for the project 'Cementitious Photocatalytic Coating: A Solution to Noxious Vehicle Emission'. Together with Shining Global Construction and Komemo Constructions, the research aims to develop photocatalytic materials - substances that absorb light energy to accelerate chemical reactions - as coating layers on indoor surfaces. When applied, this coating can reduce harmful gases in enclosed car parks and building ventilation costs. The expected outcomes will significantly improve air quality, decrease maintenance costs and reduce the risk of illness, enhancing strategies for controlling air pollution in enclosed environments.
Read about all the ARC Discovery Projects in this round on the ARC website .
