UNSW projects net $4.6 million in latest Linkage round

Researchers at the University of NSW were awarded nine grants through the most recent Australian Research Council Linkage round, more than any other university, for projects including the manufacture of perovskite photovoltaics, chemical catalysts to decontaminate water, and fabrication of quantum devices.

Funded projects were across Engineering, Science and Arts, Design & Architecture faculties, the university said on Monday. Its researchers were awarded approximately $4.6 million through the round.

Researchers and their projects included:

Scientia Professor Xiaojing Hao: $670,000 for “Inks development for commercial manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics”, working with Phoenixolar Technology to commercialise the latest perovskite photovoltaic (solar) technology breakthroughs by developing scalable manufacturing processes and enhancing solar module stability;
Professor Michael Manefield: $653,379 for “Next generation groundwater clean-up technologies”, collaborating with Orica to develop chemical catalysts to accelerate degradation of toxic contaminants in water and use computer models to predict contaminant degradation rates;
Associate Professor Christopher Marquis: $554,000 for “Advanced microcarriers for cell-based manufacturing”, collaborating with UNSW Professor Kris Kilian and Sydney-based Smart MCs to build next-generation micro-scale biomaterials for large-scale cell culture; and
Scientia Professor Alexander Hamilton: $524,359 for “Overcoming challenges to fabricating spin qubits at an industrial level”, with a UNSW team to combine their expertise in ‘hole’ quantum devices with industry partner Imec’s chip fabrication technology and facilities to optimise design and fabrication of silicon-based spin qubits on an industrial scale.

The university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise, Professor Bronwyn Fox, said: “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.”

The research council announced Linkage Projects 2024 Round 2 last Wednesday, with a total of $46.6 million in funding allocated to 75 new projects.

The program supports national and international research partnerships between researchers and business, community organisations and other publicly funded research agencies.