By Kathryn Vukovljak

The ethics around humane exclusion for refugees, understanding why monarchies endure and the biodiversity impacts of plant invasion are among a number of research projects from The Australian National University (ANU) that have received federal funding this week.

The projects, led by 11 mid-career researchers at ANU, have been awarded a total of $11.8 million as part of the latest round of Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowships.

The ARC Future Fellowships scheme provides funding for four-year fellowships for mid-career researchers working in areas of national and international interest.

ANU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Lachlan Blackhall congratulated all funding recipients on this achievement.

“It’s excellent to see the diverse and impactful research being undertaken by our researchers at ANU recognised through these Fellowships,” he said.

“From understanding ancient civilisations and addressing global water security challenges, to pioneering advancements in computer vision and plant resilience, these projects reflect the depth of innovation and expertise at our university and have the potential to create a lasting impact on society.”

ARC Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Richard Johnson said the breadth of topics being explored “is a reflection of the ARC’s commitment to supporting outstanding mid-career researchers to undertake high quality research for the benefit of all Australians.”

The ANU recipients of 2024 Future Fellowships are:

Associate Professor Caillan Davenport: Why monarchy endures. Answers from the ancient Mediterranean world ($1,163,653).

Associate Professor Luke Glanville: Humane Exclusion: How States Justify Excluding Refugees ($1,210,922).

Dr Ceri Shipton: Stepping-stones to Sahul ($1,206,875).

Dr Ben Shaw: Multicultural frontiers and human histories on the fringe of tropical Sahul. ($1,061,123).

Professor Jane Catford: Predicting biodiversity impacts of plant invasion in a changing environment ($1,211,086).

Dr S. Saman Razavi: Water security in an era of global change, big data and computational power ($1,034,692).

Dr Craig Anderson: Mapping the gas that drives galaxy evolution with magnetic dye tracers, ($885,991).

Dr Gregory Walter: Understanding and using adaptive plasticity to increase plant resilience ($775,148).

Associate Professor Lara Malins: Backbone editing strategies: Underutilised tools for peptide drug discovery ($1,208,152).

Dr Jamie Hicks: Breaking and making bonds with aluminium ($1,056,497).

Associate Professor Liang Zheng: Towards reliable deployment of computer vision systems in the real world ($941,058).

More details are available at the ARC website.