Research funding to build knowledge on critical climate challenges
3 December 2024
Research into the impacts of climate change on Antarctic ice and ecosystems, electric vehicle efficiency and governance for marine carbon dioxide removal will be funded under the latest round of Australian Research Council (ARC) grants.
The University of Tasmania and research partners have been awarded competitive funding of more than $4 million in Round 1 of the 2025 ARC Discovery Projects scheme.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at the University, Professor Anthony Koutoulis, said the funded projects reflect the University’s strategic focus on sustainability and the challenges of climate change.
“These research projects address urgent issues. With each project from Tasmania we contribute to global knowledge and technologies that will create critical understanding of how our planet is changing and the ways in which we must respond to these changes.
“These grants signify the calibre of the research taking place here at our university and I would like to congratulate all the successful research teams.”
Details of each of the recently funded projects:
Evolution of Antarctic glaciers from icequake seismology: a new capability
This project will establish a new capability to reveal change in the outlet glacier systems of the vast Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica.
Machine learning will be applied to the ‘seismic symphony’ of icequakes caused by the sudden vibrations of moving and cracking ice, tumbling melt water and ocean wave action. Highly significant, fast-changing outlets of the largest ice sheet on Earth will be analysed. Outcomes include a step-change in the knowledge of how influences, such as reduced sea ice, are instigating new mechanisms for ice loss.
Research lead: Professor Anya Reading, Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, $1,193,746 over 4 years
The invisible past: Antarctic ecosystem evolution unlocked by ancient DNA
This project aims to investigate marine organism responses to ecosystem change around Antarctica by using an innovative approach of sedimentary ancient DNA, evolutionary and population genetics.
New knowledge will be generated on rates at which keystone marine organisms (e.g., phytoplankton, Antarctic krill) adapt to environmental change. Expected outcomes include the most comprehensive, circum-Antarctic sedimentary ancient DNA dataset to date providing marine ecosystem evolution information spanning, at least, 1 million years.
Research lead: Dr Linda Armbrecht, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, $767,430 over 3 years
A novel model to understand ice shelf stability and collapse
Climate change is undermining the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which is losing ice mass at a growing pace. However, deep uncertainty in sea level projections is compromising effective adaptation and mitigation, not only in Australia but globally.
The largest source of uncertainty in ice sheet models is a crude or missing representation of fractures that produce icebergs and may lead to instability. This project will develop an innovative method to predict ice shelf stability. The outcomes will increase confidence in climate models and projections, helping Australia manage its extensive coastline amid rising global sea levels.
Research lead: Professor Poul Christoffersen, Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, $623,948 over 3 years
Rapid response of Antarctic ice streams to decadal climate perturbations
The rate of sea-level rise in coming decades depends heavily on how fast the West Antarctic Ice Sheet changes. This project aims to tightly define the uncertain ice-bed physics that will govern that rate of change.
The project is based on recent observations of rapid, climatologically forced changes in the glacier elevation, and focuses on near-instant responses to melt of downstream ice shelves. It will allow us to better predict the speed at which the ice sheet will change due to changes in ocean-driven melting.
Research lead: Professor Matt King, Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, $582,472 over 3 years
Charting the legal seascape for marine carbon dioxide removal in Australia
This project develops the legal framework needed to harness the ocean’s potential to combat climate change. Removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide is essential to advance Australia’s net zero climate policy and achieve Paris Agreement climate goals. Marine carbon removal technologies could greatly enhance the ocean’s sequestration role. This project will devise reform recommendations for integrated and adaptive laws, spanning local to international scales, multiple sectors, public and private actors, to create an enabling environment for marine carbon removal that also protects marine and coastal values.
Research lead: Professor Jan McDonald, Faculty of Law, $431,402 over 3 years
Enhancing the performance of electric vehicles via energy management
The electrification of transport is the future direction in Australia and the world; however, the low driving range and short lifespan are currently hindering the wide application of electric vehicles. This project aims to establish a way of enhancing the operating performance and thermal comfort of electric vehicles by managing energy distribution and increasing energy utilisation efficiency.
Research lead: Professor Xiaolin Wang, School of Engineering, $420,862 over 3 years
