$106.7M ARC funding to support pioneering research across AU

The Australian Research Council announced a boost to the nation’s research landscape with the allocation of $106.7 million in funding for 100 new projects under the 2024 ARC Future Fellowships scheme.

“The ARC Future Fellowships scheme plays a significant role in facilitating research excellence in areas of national and international interest,” said ARC Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Richard Johnson.

He added, “The breadth of topics that will be investigated in this round of the Future Fellowships scheme reflects the ARC’s commitment to supporting outstanding mid-career researchers to undertake high-quality research for the benefit of all Australians.”

The awarded Future Fellowships encompass a wide array of research areas, each promising substantial contributions to their respective fields and the broader Australian community.

Some of the notable projects include:

• Professor Martijn Konings, The University of Sydney: This project aims to address the decline in accessibility to property ownership amid a cost-of-living crisis. It will propose policy-based solutions to enhance social integration, economic prosperity, and political stability in Australia.
• Professor Jane Catford, The Australian National University: This research focuses on predicting the impacts of alien plant invasions on plant community diversity under environmental change. Innovative grassland experiments and models will yield long-term social, cultural, economic, and environmental benefits.
• Professor Lisa Kervin, University of Wollongong: This study explores the concept of Intergenerational Play, aiming to increase overall well-being by fostering the exchange of knowledge, skills, and values across generations. The project addresses the growing disconnection among different age groups.

Associate Professor Shino Konishi, The University of Western Australia: This project seeks to create a First Nations-centred, future-oriented history of Western Australia, combining truth-telling with restorative techniques. The research will produce a culturally appropriate historical resource for various communities and the general public, in time for the state Bicentenary.