Six Monash researchers have been awarded a combined total of more than $5.9 million through the Australian Research Council Future Fellowships scheme for 2023, including Dr Yuman Zhu, whose research focuses on 3D printing technology to manufacture new titanium alloy components.
Dr Zhu was funded $797,280 to employ 3D printing technology to create novel titanium alloy components that are lighter and stronger to help cutting-edge sectors such as aeroplane manufacturing.
Mid-career researchers are supported by the four-year Fellowships to conduct research in areas of national importance, to improve national and international research collaboration, and to have a positive influence on both local and global societies.
Other Monash fellows include Professor Yolande Strengers who received a grant of $1,113,421 to research the social impacts of utilising ‘cute’ house assistance robots in daily life.
This research intends to aid in the development of informed robot designs, consumer safeguards, and legislation to promote societal outcomes.
Dr James Coxon was given $985,272 to investigate the causal function of brain regions in acquiring motor abilities using cutting-edge neuroimaging and brain stimulation methods.
The study can help to generate an understanding of how motor memories are formed and learning techniques.
Dr Carly Cook bagged $974,296 to advance the idea of Conserved Areas and find ways to better safeguard biodiversity outside of recognised Protected Areas.
The project will develop crucial tools to enable successful biodiversity protection and provide insight into how Conserved Areas are defined.
Dr Dragoslav Vidovic received a grant of $999,296 with the ultimate goal of reducing the detrimental effects that human activity has on the environment.
He will be developing a special collection of aluminium compounds and charting new paths in the field of Lewis acid catalysis.
Meanwhile, Zihua Guo, an associate professor, will use the $1,054,902 grant to create novel analysis techniques involving the Schrodinger operator and tackle a number of difficult issues involving dispersive partial differential equations (PDE).
The findings are intended to advance physics and mathematics, particularly in the domains of fluid mechanics and quantum mechanics.
The Australian Government allocated $97 million to 100 Future Fellows under the 2023 programme, including the six researchers.
The Future Fellowships program, according to Professor Rebekah Brown, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), gives Monash scholars the chance to support significant initiatives that advance the local, regional, and global communities.
Professor Brown also congratulated all the Monash fellows on this remarkable achievement.
“Monash is home to incredible research talent and these grants will support mid-career researchers in their commitment to achieving research impact in areas of priority for Australia,” the professor concluded
