Adelaide University Receives $2M ARC Linkage Projects Funding

Researchers from the University of Adelaide have been awarded nearly $2 million in funding through the latest round of the Australian Research Council Linkage Projects scheme. The scheme is designed to foster strategic research partnerships and encourage the transfer of skills, knowledge, and ideas between researchers and partner organizations.

Several projects at the University of Adelaide have received funding under this scheme. These include research into rapid-drying barley for sustainable malting practices as well as a project aimed at analyzing data related to mushroom cultivation with the aim of enhancing precision agriculture.

One notable recipient is Associate Professor Damien Fordham, together with Dr. Jamie Wood, Associate Professor Jeremy Austin, Dr. Elizabeth Reed, and Professor Kristofer Helgen, who secured $540,500 for using DNA technologies to prevent the extinction of threatened species. This innovative project combines ancient DNA extracted from sediment and bulk-bone deposits with ecological models. The goal is to reconstruct spatial patterns of mammals and plants across Australian landscapes, providing vital information needed for evidence-based ecological restoration efforts targeting threatened mammals.

The aforementioned project has garnered support not only from academia but also from conservation groups including Bush Heritage Australia, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Australia, the Australian Museum, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

Another substantial grant was given to a team led by Professor Matthew Tucker alongside Dr. Tristan Coram and Dr. Douglas Stewart, who were allocated $531,777 towards their work on developing rapid-drying barley, which could revolutionize traditional malting processes that are currently resource-intensive due to rising energy costs. Their focus will be identifying natural genetic variations requiring less energy during processing stages; Coopers Brewery and Australian Grain Technologies are supporting this endeavor too.

Fibre-reinforced polymer-based structural panels incorporating recycled plastic composites are also being developed in another funded study led by Professor Scott Smith along with his colleagues Dr. T. Tafsirojjaman, Nicholas Wotton, and Lachlan Nicol. This initiative aims at transforming construction technology while promoting sustainable infrastructure and has been rewarded with $479,778 in funding. Sustainable Infrastructure Systems is backing this project.

Finally, a team of researchers including Dr. Wei Zhang, Professor Michael Sheng, Dr. Weitong Chen, Associate Professor Ni Yang, Dr. Queen Nguyen, and Yantao Zhang were awarded $320,562 for their collaborative project with Clever Mushrooms Pixelforce Systems & Hokken Co. They will be working on developing innovative models and algorithms to monitor and understand the automated greenhouse mushroom cultivation environment. This study aims at exploring the interplays among different data modalities and structures that could provide practical approaches while generating new knowledge for precision agriculture.

The Australian Research Council Linkage Projects scheme's investment in these diverse research projects underlines its commitment to fostering innovation through strategic partnerships. These collaborations are essential, as they not only drive scientific advancements but also have far-reaching implications for industry practices and environmental conservation efforts.