Number of Successful Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Proposals for Funding Commencing in 2014 by State and Organisation

2014 $1,800,000.00

2015 $1,800,000.00

Total $3,600,000.00

Primary FoR 0403 GEOLOGY

Queensland University of Technology, The University of New England, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Geoscience Australia, James Cook University, Marine Geoscience Office, Curtin University of Technology, Monash University, The University of Adelaide, Macquarie University, The University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, The University of Queensland, The University of Western Australia, University of Technology, Sydney, The University of Melbourne, University of Wollongong

Australian membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program: This project is for an Australian membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program. The Program will recover drill cores, situate observatories, and conduct down-hole experiments in all the world's oceans from lowest to highest latitudes to address fundamental questions about Earth's history and processes within four high-priority scientific themes: climate and ocean change - reading the past and informing the future; biosphere frontiers - deep life, biodiversity, and environmental forcing of ecosystems; earth connections - deep processes and their impact on earth's surface environment; earth in motion - processes and hazards on a human time scale.

2014 $350,000.00

Primary FoR 0201 ASTRONOMICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES

University of Western Sydney, Australian Astronomical Observatory, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, The University of Queensland, The University of Sydney, Macquarie University, Swinburne University of Technology, The University of Western Australia, Monash University, The University of Melbourne, The University of New South Wales

TAIPAN - a spectrograph to survey the southern sky: The TAIPAN spectroscopic survey of the southern sky aims to quadruple the number of nearby galaxies with measured redshifts, distances and velocities. Science goals include measuring the expansion rate of the universe to 1 per cent precision, and combining optical spectroscopy and radio data for each galaxy to measure the rate at which gas is being converted into stars in the local universe. This project supports construction of the TAIPAN high-performance spectrograph that will be used to carry out the survey on the UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST). The results of the survey will be made freely available to all Australian astronomers.

2014 $200,000.00

Primary FoR 0306 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (INCL. STRUCTURAL)

Swinburne University of Technology, The University of Newcastle

Surface and colloid characterisation facility: Surface science lies at the heart of biointerface and colloid science. This facility will enable particle size, shape, distribution, surface area and charge to be measured as well as the amount of material adsorbed to interfaces, the configuration of that material and the response of the surface to stimuli such as changing pH or salinity. All these parameters influence the properties of these important systems. As such this facility will underpin the research of a number of groups across three institutions over the next decade and promote collaboration between scientists with a range of complementary expertise in fields where surface science is important from biology to ionic liquids.

2014 $191,095.00

Primary FoR 0501 ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

James Cook University

A shared mass spectrometer with compound-specific capabilities to support innovative research in biology, the environment and geology: Stable isotope studies have huge and increasing relevance to environmental studies, many of which form the backbone of understanding Australia's terrestrial and marine systems. Compound-specific isotope analysis yields much more information than is available through bulk methods. The problem has been that the separations were labour-intensive and employed complex wet chemistry. New methods reduce the work-load enough to make compound-specific studies possible. In the case of carbon isotopes, new liquid chromatographic technology removes the need for derivatisations which dilute the natural signal and can render it unusable.

2014 $300,000.00

Primary FoR 0201 ASTRONOMICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES

Swinburne University of Technology, Gemini Observatory, Australian Astronomical Observatory

A sensitive tip-tilt wavefront sensor for the multi-conjugate adaptive-optics system on the Gemini South telescope: This project will construct a sensitive tip-tilt wavefront sensor for GeMS, the multi-conjugate adaptive-optics system on the Gemini South telescope in Chile. GeMS is a unique and revolutionary new system that delivers near-infrared images at similar resolution to the Hubble Space Telescope at optical wavelengths over wide fields. With this improvement in technology it will be possible to do this on much fainter objects than is currently possible using this new wave-front sensor. This will allow GeMS to routinely study the morphologies of external galaxies at high angular resolution - greatly extending its science scope. Sharper images will also be obtained for all objects that are currently accessible, leading to higher quality science data.

2014 $330,000.00

Primary FoR 0402 GEOCHEMISTRY

An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles: This project will result in development of a state-of-the-art facility for comprehensive determination of particle size, concentration and surface properties for a wide range of environmentally occurring particles, in rapid succession. Combining several novel and advanced instruments into an integrated facility will permit in situ and kinetic experiments that are currently unable to be easily undertaken anywhere in Australia. This will enable major progress for internationally significant research activities in areas including sediment geochemistry, contaminant mobility, and biogeochemistry. The project will thus help to address several pressing global environmental issues while adding substantial new capabilities for Australian research.

2014 $155,000.00

Primary FoR 0402 GEOCHEMISTRY

A gamma spectrometry facility for cutting edge environmental geochemistry investigations: This project will provide a cutting edge gamma spectrometry facility. The facility will perform high precision radionuclide measurements to resolve complex environmental processes such as sediment accumulation, soil erosion, submarine groundwater discharge, atmospheric deposition, marine carbon scavenging, and water mass circulation. This project is significant because the data obtained will fill fundamental gaps in the understanding of carbon, nitrogen, and trace metal cycling in soils, groundwater, rivers, estuaries, and the ocean. The outcome of this project is a better understanding of regional and global biogeochemical cycles.

2014 $150,000.00

Primary FoR 0402 GEOCHEMISTRY

Monash University, The University of Queensland

A coupled high temperature elemental analyser - gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer for climate, water and ecological research: This project is for a high temperature, elemental analysis, gas chromatography, isotope mass spectrometry facility. This would permit the analysis of the isotopes of up to four elements in a range of environmental samples such as tree cellulose, ecological samples and dissolved nutrients in surface and ground waters. Results will help improve our understanding of climate - surface water - ground water interactions, ecosystem function, and past climate and environmental change. The new facility will meet the need for organic isotope analyses to better understand the underlying physical processes.

2014 $370,000.00

Primary FoR 1112 ONCOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS

The University of Sydney

Imaging cell and tissue architecture using confocal and super-resolution microscopy: This project aims to understand how the architecture of cells and tissues is controlled. This is because the organisation of biological space underpins the function of cells, tissues and organisms. This project will test the role of identified parts of cell architecture in regulating specific animal functions/pathologies. It will do this by using new microscope technologies which are at the frontier of visualising cell structure in isolation and in the context of tissue including application to the living animal. The dynamic organisation of structures in cells will be imaged in living tissue. Novel insights into structure/function relationships in the body will impact the health industry and generate opportunities for new diagnostics and therapeutics.

2014 $560,000.00

Primary FoR 1007 NANOTECHNOLOGY

La Trobe University, Monash University

Ultra low temperature scanning gate facility for study of advanced nanostructure devices and materials: Electronic devices and materials underpin a range of significant industries worldwide. However while there are numerous techniques for imaging the structure of a material, including X-rays, electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and nuclear scattering, none allow us to see how the electrons and holes move inside a material or device. This project will create a new scanning gate microscope facility for imaging electrical current flow in advanced quantum devices and the new generation of topological insulators and atomically thin crystals such as graphene. The project will stimulate new studies of the next generation of electronic materials and devices, providing the underpinning knowledge for the future development of post silicon electronics.

2014 $290,000.00

Primary FoR 0399 OTHER CHEMICAL SCIENCES

University of Technology, Sydney, University of Tasmania, Cawthron Institute, Sydney Institute of Marine Science Foundation

A coupled liquid chromatography mass spectrometer as a core component of an Australian research facility for marine microbial biotoxins: This project will establish an Australian research facility for marine microbial biotoxins. The requested core instrument is a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer to analyse and quantify microbial toxins at ultra-trace quantities against complex sample backgrounds. Specialists in diverse areas of marine ecology and chemistry from three partner universities will team up to focus their research on novel biotoxins and marine natural products. This research is significant in developing a capability to swiftly respond to the emergence and outbreak of novel toxins. This facility will foster the collaboration with the partner organisation, the Cawthron Institute, a world leading research institute of marine biotoxins.

2014 $190,000.00

Primary FoR 1901 ART THEORY AND CRITICISM

The University of Sydney, The University of Melbourne, University of Technology, Sydney, Deakin University, The University of Adelaide, University of Tasmania

Design and art Australia online research tool: enabling next generation e-Research in Australia's visual and design cultures: This project builds on the recent and highly successful transformation of Design and Art Australia Online (DAAO). As DAAO increases its information base through its automated harvest facilities (LIEF2012) and draws more active engagement from researchers, new demands are being placed on the facility. Modifications are required to enhance the capabilities of researchers to expand the scope of research facilities offered. This project will refine schema and mappings of events and works to better match researcher queries and enabling data repurposing for visualisation; automate linking facility between established entity links; and develop researcher collaboration functionalities.

2014 $1,025,000.00

Primary FoR 0915 INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING