$25.7 million awarded through Mid-Career Industry Fellowships

A total of $25.7 million in support for 25 Mid-Career Industry Fellowships through the Australian Research Council (ARC) has been announced, backing research with industry partners in projects including green hydrogen production, methane pyrolysis, quantum sensors and extracting rare earths from waste.

According to ARC’s website, the fellowships support academic researchers “in establishing careers in industry, and industry-based researchers to work in university settings,” aiming to increase mobility and skills in research collaboration, translation and commercialisation.

Among supported projects were:

• Australian National University Associate Professor Siva Karuturi’s work on developing “an efficient and cost-effective membrane-free microelectrode (ME) electrolyser for hydrogen production to accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen in global decarbonisation” with Fortescue (awarded $1,114,246.00);
• University of Sydney Professor Yuan Chen’s collaboration with Hazer Group aiming “to economically utilize carbon coproducts from catalytic methane pyrolysis using low-cost Australian iron ore catalysts” ($1,151,614.00); 
• University of Melbourne Associate Professor David Simpson’s work with Phasor Innovation on commercialising “a diamond-based quantum magnetic sensor, pioneered in Australia with applications in a range of industry sectors including healthcare, mining, space, defence, automation, and manufacturing” ($1,130,000.00); and
• ANU Associate Professor Caitlin Byrt’s project with Rio Tinto aiming “to optimise the function of components that enable rare earth elements (REEs) to be harvested from waste” ($1,131,640.00)

A full list of projects funded through the round can be seen here

By field of research, the highest number of projects (eight) were in engineering, followed by agricultural, veterinary and food sciences (four.)

“Through these collaborations, the ARC supports the transfer of skills, knowledge and ideas as a basis for securing commercial and other benefits of research, and delivering significant outcomes for industry partners and end-users,” said ARC Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Richard Johnson, in a statement on Friday.

Picture: A pilot plant for methane pyrolysis (credit Hazer)