UQ was awarded the second highest number of Discovery Project grants among universities across Australia, underscoring its position as a research powerhouse
UQ was awarded the second highest number of Discovery Project grants among universities across Australia, underscoring its position as a research powerhouse
10 November 2017

University of Queensland researchers have been awarded $32 million for work designed to create positive change across science, health, engineering and the humanities.

The Australian Research Council today announced the funding as part of the latest round of Discovery Projects, Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRAs) and Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grants. 

UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj said UQ was awarded 57 Discovery Project grants, totalling $21.4 million, and 19 DECRAs amounting to $6.75 million. A consortium of universities led by UQ was awarded $3.5 million in the LIEF scheme.

Nationally, the ARC today announced $225 million in grants for 594 Discovery Projects projects across 34 universities.

“UQ won the second highest number of Discovery Project grants awarded to universities across Australia, underscoring its position as a research powerhouse,” Professor Høj said.

“And the 19 DECRA awards have confirmed our position as the most successful university in the life of the DECRA scheme, which is designed to support researchers in their early career phases,” Professor Høj said.

“Congratulations to all UQ researchers whose applications were successful in an extremely competitive funding environment,” he said.

“It’s exciting to see funding for diverse research with potential to create change in health, infrastructure, the economy and the environment.”

UQ’s largest Discovery Projects grants went to cell research led by Institute for Molecular Bioscience researchers, with Dr Nicholas Hamilton securing $656,020 and Dr Joseph Powell $615,502.

Other Discovery Project grants at UQ announced today include:

  • $241,590 to a project led by the School of Civil Engineering’s Dr Vinh DaoEarly-age cracking in concrete structures: Mechanisms and control.
  • $158,504 to a project led by the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work’s Dr Maree PetersenThe life course of older Australians in precarious housing.
  • $148,544 to the School of Political Science and International Studies’ Dr Alistair StarkDo Public Inquiries Matter? Tracking Inquiry Implementation in Australia.
  • $505,804 to a project led by the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences’ Professor Jochen MuellerExposure mapping, combining wastewater analysis with human biomonitoring.
  • $468,605 to a project led by the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences’ (SCMB) Professor Paul Young Koala retrovirus epidemic: genetic diversity, genome invasion and disease

Professor Høj said the Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards would support a broad range of exciting and important projects.

“For example, young Indigenous researcher Dr Chelsea Bond has been awarded $386,831 to investigate indigenous health inequality, and Dr Kirsty Short in the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences has been awarded $365,058 to study bird flu.”

A full list of UQ projects to receive ARC Discovery Projects funding today is here; the DECRAs are here and LIEF here.

Media: Fiona Cameron, UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3346 7086.