Monash has earned the most awards in the Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme - with 20 researchers receiving a total of $9,433,962 in funding.
Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Mike Ryan, said the results are a testament to Monash's high-quality research across a diverse range of research fields.
"It's wonderful to see so many early career researchers getting recognition and funding to support their research - these grants will enable them to pursue their goals and make a positive impact in communities locally and internationally. Congratulations to everyone involved."
The DECRA scheme supports up to 200 early-career researchers across Australia each year by funding innovative research aimed at addressing significant problems.
Among the recipients are:
Dr Anthony Barnett ($488,641) to explore the policy and social implications associated with using psychedelics as potential treatments for addiction in Australia and the UK. The project aims to ensure future psychedelic policy and practice is carried out responsibly.
Dr Christopher Urwin ($482,017) to investigate the little-known encounters between Asian voyagers and First Nations Peoples in the Gulf of Carpentaria through new archaeological investigations and Indigenous oral histories. The project aims to strengthen understanding of First Nations heritage and improve the conservation of vulnerable Indigenous coastal sites.
Dr Gongbo Chen ($465,000) to systematically evaluate the health economic burden of bushfire smoke across Australia. The project aims to inform national policies and provide potential models to other at-risk countries.
Dr Jessica Mant ($475,406.00) to explore procedural justice in uneven family court hearings, where one party appears as a self-represented litigant. The project aims to enhance understanding of procedural justice and a best practice protocol for uneven hearings.
Dr Joanne O'Donnell ($487,991) to investigate how gut microbes determine immune cell behaviour throughout the body. The project aims to develop new scientific theories and methods as well as enhance research capacity through national and international collaboration.
