Research Impact March 2017 Swinburne in Numbers

research.swinburne.edu.au RESEARCH

MARCH 2017

SWINBURNE RESEARCH IMPACT IMPACT

NET EQUITY Empowerment through digital connection

QUANTUM CONDITIONER Combing through entangled photons LEADING GALACTIC DOPPELGANGERS

Nearby galaxies solve MARCH 2017 MARCH LIGHT distant mysteries Baohua Jia’s big-picture VOICE OF REASON science at the nanoscale Delving into schizophrenia RESEARCH IMPACT PHONE: +61 3 9214 5552 WEB: www.research.swinburne.edu.au FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/swinburneuniversityoftechnology TWITTER: www.twitter.com/Swinburne EMAIL: [email protected]

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ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Swinburne Research Impact is published for Swinburne University of Technology by the Partnership and Custom Media unit of Nature Research, part of Springer Nature. Level 25, 1 Market Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.

Copyright © Swinburne University of Technology. All rights reserved. The information in this publication was correct at the time of going to press. March 2017. The views expressed by contributors in this publication are not necessarily those of Swinburne University of Technology.

ABOUT SWINBURNE RESEARCH

Swinburne University of Technology is an internationally recognised research-intensive university that is focused on delivering research that creates economic and social impact. Our researchers are producing innovative research solutions to real-world problems across a range of disciplines and sectors. In 2016, Swinburne was listed in the world’s top 500 universities in the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and we were also named one of the world’s top 400 universities by the Times Higher Education University World Rankings 2016. We are committed to delivering world-leading research outcomes and innovations in select areas of science, engineering and technology. In 2016 Swinburne launched a number of exciting initiatives that will drive our future research achievements. Our new ‘Innovation Precinct’ in Hawthorn, Melbourne, is a hub of world-class research-led innovation activity, and our new Research Institutes will focus on big challenges facing our industries and society. Swinburne’s research future is bright. >>> research.swinburne.edu.au

SWINBURNE PRODUCTION TEAM

Ryan Wendt (Editor) Scott Saunders Julia Scott Contents Contents

Editorial 03 Transforming industries, shaping lives and communities

In numbers 04 A visual guide to Swinburne’s performance

News briefs 06 What’s happening at Swinburne

Research highlights

12 08 Vitamin B for brain food Accounting for unchartered waters 09 Smart grid to address balance of power 10 Switched-on seniors Ageing study considers food for thought 11 ENVISIONing liveable and sustainable cities 12 Turning current wisdom on its head 13 All things considered 14 Patterns of creation 15 A healthy debate 13 16 Smashing up the old PhD program 17 Why we’re designed to move 18 Stolen wages analysis sheds light on historic injustice 19 Return to the fold for super-strong structures 20 A soft touch for mending broken bones 21 Supercool breakthrough brings new quantum benchmark 22 The inside of cells as never seen before 16 28 24 Laying the grounds for greener roads 26 Business development programs yield better bang for bucks Features

28 Seeing the world through a different lens 33 Mapping the digital divide 36 Finding a voice of reason 40 High-stakes chips 45 Youthful ancients

Innovation 50 Research-led innovation delivers 45 precinct social and economic impact

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 1 Swinburne research is world-ranked

Swinburne University of Technology is an internationally recognised research-intensive university that is focused on delivering research that creates economic and social impact.

Swinburne is listed in the world’s top 400 universities in the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and we are also named one of the world’s top 400 universities by the Times Higher Education University World Rankings.

We are committed to delivering world leading research outcomes and innovations in select areas of science, engineering and technology.

2 Swinburne Impact January 2016 Editorial

Transforming industries, shaping lives and communities

ver since Wilhelm von Humboldt appointed distinguished scholars at the University of Berlin to Eteach and pursue independent research, the creation of pure knowledge has blossomed at research-intensive universities. Two hundred years later research is just as valued, but the drivers of its production are moving well beyond academia to industry, the economy and society. Increasingly new knowledge from universities must lead to the betterment of individuals, organisations and nations — and do so in a pragmatic and timely manner. This is true research impact. © Eamon Gallagher At Swinburne University of From left to right: Philip Dalidakis, Victorian State Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Aleksandar Subic, Technology, we are taking advantage of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), and Manoj Nagpaul, Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Wipro. our size, agility and industry knowhow to create a research and innovation ecosystem that transforms industries and shapes lives and communities. There are no discipline settings based on new colloid and surface are enabling us to lead Industry 4.0 boundaries for the complexities of the science research; our astronomers and developments within manufacturing, global challenges we all face. physicists are designing new-generation health and smart cities domains. Swinburne has established five new instrumentation for a range of application I am pleased to report on these outward-facing research institutes that areas stemming from discoveries in optical and other recent research highlights bring together our expertise in data physics and other sciences; our research in this issue of the Swinburne Research science, health innovation, smart cities, behind the Australian Digital Inclusion Impact magazine. social innovation and manufacturing Index is helping to bridge the digital futures. These institutes build on the divide and improve communities; the Professor Aleksandar Subic depth and excellence of discipline-specific advances we are achieving in digitalisation, Deputy Vice-Chancellor research undertaken by university research and the internet of things in particular, (Research and Development) centres. The five institutes — underpinned by the digital innovation capability platform — work coherently as a whole- of-solution shop for our partners, locally

research.swinburne.edu.au and internationally. RESEARCH

MARCH 2017

Our research is driving innovations SWINBURNE RESEARCH IMPACT IMPACT across a wide range of important areas. On the Cover

For example, we are developing game- Baohua Jia at Swinburne’s Centre for Micro-Photonics uses the smallest changing technologies for energy storage materials to harvest the Sun’s power.

NET EQUITY Empowerment through digital connection

QUANTUM based on new-generation materials CONDITIONER Combing through entangled photons LEADING GALACTIC Cover image: Eamon Gallagher DOPPELGANGERS

Nearby galaxies solve MARCH 2017 MARCH LIGHT such as graphene; our researchers are distant mysteries Baohua Jia’s big-picture VOICE OF REASON science at the nanoscale Delving into schizophrenia helping control infections in medical

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 3 Swinburne in numbers

TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION UNIVERSITY WORLD RANKINGS QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS ACADEMIC RANKING OF WORLD UNIVERSITIES US NEWS Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Ranked most in natural international under the in civil in sciences & for space 400 100 universities 450 100 age of 50 500 75 engineering 100 physics 200 mathematics 65 science 2016 GLOBAL RANKINGS

ECELLENCE IN HIGHER DEGREES BY RESEARCH RESEARCH INCOE RESEARCH FOR $25m 1,088 158 8.7m 555 2016 total external research income ASTRALIA students completed invested accredited enrolled in 2016 degrees in 2016 stipend supervisors International campus in Sarawak, Malaysia scholarships $175m in 2016 2009-2016 total external WELL ABOVE WORLD STANDARD research income › Physical sciences › Astronomical and space sciences › Atomic, molecular, nuclear, particle and plasma physics PBLICATION PERFORANCE 5 › Optical physics › Physical chemistry Top Increase of (including structural) academic › in article count Maritime engineering institutions since 2012 22,227 › Materials engineering in physical in the Total student load in 2016 › Nanotechnology 100 sciences 0 Nature Index (equivalent full-time student load, EFTSL) › Neurosciences data obtained 25012017 www.natureindex.com 1,088 Higher Degrees Science Citation Inde and Social Science Citation Inde ublications by Research students 2016 ABOVE WORLD STANDARD Female students 2015 3 campuses in Victoria, Australia › Quantum physics (EFTSL) 2014 › Chemical sciences Australian Research 2013 11,244 › Computer software Council Centres of 2012 Excellence (one lead) › Engineering Male students › Civil engineering 2011 (EFTSL) Hawthorn Croydon 4 MELBOURNE › Electrical and electronic 0 300 600 900 1200 1500 Advanced Wantirna engineering 10,983 Technologies Centre › Mechanical engineering 5 Dedicated Cost 140 million › Technology Approximately RESEARCH WITH IPACT research institutes to build › Communications technology 5-star Green Star rating › Psychology Altmetric Attention Score The host galay of a fast radio burst 750 › Language, communication Academic staff Journal: Nature and culture 1298 Published: February 2016 › Communication and media studies 11 The Advanced Manufacturing and Design Centre *data obtained 25/01/2017 34:1 Research Cost 100 million to build www.altmetric.com/details/5988853 Studentstaff ratio centres 5-star Green Star rating

Digital innovation hub Swinburne and global IT company Wipro have established a multidisciplinary centre to spur translational research in the areas of health and smart cities. The Digital Innovation Centre will use cognitive computing, predictive analytics and next-generation digital technology to improve the economic, social and environmental dividends of society. Making a difference With the goal of taking Swinburne hosted Australia’s first Makeathon, a 72-hour marathon to design, code and research out of the lab and into build assistive technologies for people living with disability. The three-day event was or- commercialisation, the centre ganised by the global community Tikkun Olam Makers at Swinburne’s Innovation Precinct will bid for large-scale projects, in November 2016. Ten teams competed to develop prototypes that could potentially be with Wipro helping to bring the commercialised, from a lightweight ramp that can be lowered and picked up by a magnet- research to market through its ic stick to crutches that convert into a seat. global network of customers. “It was really exciting to see the incredible things that can be achieved and we were so impressed by the quality of the outcomes that will help not only one person, but potentially Leading by design thousands,” said Innovation Precinct Director, Sally McArthur. “We are excited to see how Swinburne can continue to be involved as these ideas move forward.” Swinburne has established a new centre that brings together researchers, industries and communities to enable user-fo- usage and limit the spread of of ripples in space-time known says Professor Jarrod Hurley, cused, design-led innovation. sexually transmitted infections, as gravitational waves. Many who will design a $3.5 million The Centre for Design Innova- and smart hats to monitor chief investigators at OzGRav supercomputer for OzGRav. tion will investigate and validate sports performance. supported the breakthrough the design factors that under- discovery at LIGO and are keen pin the uptake of products, to expand Australia’s role in this Big-data science services, systems, habitats and Making waves nascent field. Led by astrophys- Swinburne and Tel Aviv Univer- symbols. “It’s one thing to de- In early 2017, Swinburne will icist, Professor Matthew Bailes, sity have launched a joint re- sign, it’s another thing to have lead a $31.3 million Australian OzGRav will help to answer cos- search centre for data science. that design used and valued, Research Council Centre of Ex- mic questions about the death- The centre, which will host and this means more carefully cellence for Gravitational Wave cries of supermassive black PhD students co-supervised by targeted research,” said Pro- Discovery. Named OzGRav, holes and the state of nuclear academics from both universi- fessor Kurt Seemann, director the centre will capitalise on the matter. “It would be fantastic ties, will develop data science of the new centre. Current pro- first detection in 2016 by the to think that we might discover methodologies, platforms and jects include the testing of new Laser Interferometer Gravita- new sources of gravitational analytics, while reinforcing pri- materials to increase condom tional-Wave Observatory (LIGO) waves right here on campus,” vacy and cyber security. It will

6 Research Impact March 2017 News briefs

encourage facilities-sharing, research collaboration and govern- Industry 4.0 ment and industry engagement A partnership between Swin- in both countries. The partner- burne and the Australian Man- ship builds on the work already ufacturing Growth Centre will underway at Swinburne’s Data spur the adoption of Industry Science Research Institute, and 4.0, the next stage in modern through its association with the manufacturing in which cyber Oceania Cyber Security Centre, systems work seamlessly with which is supported by the Victo- physical systems. The new rian Government, and CSIRO’s TestLab is located in Swin- digital research unit Data61. burne’s Manufacturing Futures Research Institute (MFI), the Life science fellow first research centre entirely New cancer target dedicated to Industry 4.0. Stem cell researcher Peng-Yuan (George) Wang was one of The MFI will bring in a new 12 scientists to receive the prestigious 2016 Victoria Fellowship, era of production efficiency, an $18,000 grant for overseas study. with enormous gains in quality Wang is currently an Australian Research Council Discovery of life and environmental Early-Career Researcher Award fellow at Swinburne, whose outcomes. “We will measure research involves fabricating nanostructures to control the our success through delivery behaviour of stem cells. Wang’s tissue engineering techniques of high value-add solutions could be used in clinical applications, disease modelling and in collaboration with industry drug screening. As a Victoria Fellow, he will visit two stem cell that create impact through laboratories in the United States and Canada to learn, share innovation, commerciali- and collaborate with the world’s leading bioengineers. sation, start-ups and new enterprises being formed,” The structure of a cell-surface said Deputy Vice-Chancellor protein implicated in a third of (Research and Development) Swinburne and Shandong will cancers has been solved by an Aleksandar Subic. engage with key industries at international team of research- a new science and technology ers, including members of Swin- park in Weihei, set to launch in burne’s Centre for Micro-Pho- Forging ties in China early 2017, where Swinburne tonics. First discovered in the A four-party agreement will be the first international 1980s, the epidermal growth between Australia and China university present. factor receptor is fundamental will see the establishment of to cell metabolism, growth and an advanced manufacturing differentiation. Mutations in the research centre in Weihei, a News flash receptor have been associated city at the tip of a peninsula in A brilliant burst of radiation with several types of cancer, northeastern China. The part- that travelled a billion light including lung, breast and brain nership between Swinburne years through space before cancer. The research team University of Technology and reaching an Australian radio combined a powerful micros- Shandong University, Weihai telescope has given scientists copy technique with computer Economic and Technological new insights into the fabric simulations of the structure Development Zone and the of the Universe. The flash, to develop a realistic model of Australian Education Man- known as a fast radio burst what EGFR looks like and how agement Group will focus on (FRB), was captured in 2015 Astrophysics and Supercom- it functions. “By knowing how the areas of automation and by CSIRO’s Parkes radio tel- puting. The FRB contained it works in greater detail we can mechatronics, biomedical escope and analysed using a detailed information about the design improved drugs,” said devices, electronics, advanced system developed by Professor swirling gases and magnetic Swinburne’s Associate Professor materials and 3D printing. Matthew Bailes and his team fields between galaxies known Andrew Clayton. Leading researchers at at Swinburne’s Centre for as the cosmic web.

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 7 Highlights

Vitamin B for brain food Supplementing the healthy brain

ew research from Swin- on a randomised, dou- burne University of ble-blind, placebo-con- NTechnology suggests trolled study, involving vitamin supplements may have 71 adults between 18 and a positive effect on how healthy 40 years old. Each par- adults think and feel. ticipant took a Berocca With support from phar- or a placebo with breakfast maceutical company, Bayer, the every morning for four weeks Swinburne Centre for Human and underwent tests using Psychopharmacology has ex- two techniques for visual- amined the effect of multivita- ising brain activity, functional mins and minerals in the brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ing an effect, which I think is a mance in participants fatigued across different age groups and (fMRI) and Steady State Visual- very important first step,” said from SSVEP. under varying conditions. ly Evoked Potential (SSVEP), Research Leader and Director Earlier pilot studies at Swin- Vitamins are organic com- known to cause mental fatigue of the Centre for Human Psy- burne had suggested that im- pounds required for the body over relatively short periods. chopharmacology, Professor provements in attention can be to function healthily, but which Participants’ brain activ- Andrew Scholey. achieved after a single dose of the body cannot make. Some, ity was measured while they There were increased lev- multivitamins and that the effect including the B vitamins — thi- performed cognitive tasks, els of the B vitamins in the may be evident as soon as 30 min- amine, riboflavin, niacin, and including those using work- blood of those who had been utes after taking the tablet. B12 — play a pivotal role in a ing memory — remembering taking the multivitamin and a Scholey and his colleagues range of cellular mechanisms, spatial locations, and marking reduction in the mildly toxic are now seeing if these effects including mitochondrial energy when odd and even numbers molecule homocysteine. Those can be replicated in a larg- production and neurotransmit- are consecutive in a string of taking Berocca also reported er-scale study to validate the ter synthesis. random digits. improvements in mood over findings. They are also investi- The Swinburne group’s The work demonstrated the four-week period. gating the mechanism by which most recent work looked at the that supplementary vitamins There was also a signif- the benefit of vitamins may be long-term effects of the mul- had a discernable effect in icant correlation between occurring in the brain, which tivitamin Berocca, which is healthy adults. “They’re getting fMRI-measured brain acti- could lead to new treatments

made by Bayer, and was based into the brain and they’re hav- vation and cognitive perfor- for mood and cognition. © eyenigelene/E+/Getty

he use of water from the huge Mur- Every drop, including Accounting for ray-Darling River Basin in eastern Aus- rainfall, evapotranspiration, T tralia remains a contentious issue after surface and ground water unchartered more than a decade of legal wrangling, policies is counted. The informa- waters and plans. But, there is a stronger consensus tion will guide the Council about how much water the basin actually con- of Australian Governments An accounting-based method tains, thanks to an emerging discipline called when it meets in 2017 to for reporting the amount of water accounting, developed by a team includ- decide how much water is available water in a river ing a Swinburne researcher. required to maintain riv- system has been developed Professor Keryn Chalmers, Dean of er flows. by a Swinburne researcher Swinburne Business School, was part of a “The goal was to create team of financial accountants who developed a useful reporting system a conceptual framework for general-purpose to inform decision-mak-

water accounting. ers about water resources, © Hiromi Shiota/EyeEm/Getty

8 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights

in their capacity to maintain a steady elec- Smart grid to tricity supply with these fluctuating sources. Professor Han and his colleagues from address balance Griffith University, Central Queensland Uni- versity and RWTH Aachen University of of power Technology in Germany have devised a sys- Australia’s electricity grid needs tem that would utilize the existing infrastruc- maintenance. But rather than ture, but bolt on 21st-century technology patching it up and carrying on, to maximize the value Australians get from Professor Qing-Long Han says we the grid. should prepare for the future. The system employs the mathematical concept of advanced networked control to manage switching between the various sourc- electricity storage will also play a key part in Swinburne University of Technolo- es of supply — whether that be a large wind maintaining a steady supply across the whole gy researcher is part of a team that farm, a coal-fired power station, an industri- of eastern Australia and beyond. A has come up with a plan to upgrade al battery, or a lone solar panel on a subur- “With our methodology we want to use Australia’s electricity network and save tax- ban street. the existing network — that’s how we’ve tried payers billions of dollars. With advanced networked control, local to reduce the cost,” he said. Some $36 billion is The ageing electricity grid is one of the sources of power and batteries can communi- slated for network upgrades in coming years largest pieces of infrastructure in the coun- cate with each other and work collaboratively — just to maintain the status quo. But Han try. But, it was built in an era when electric- to co-ordinate their supply or demand from said their system will be more cost-effective ity flowed one way — from power stations to the larger grid. and would allow increased use of renewa- the consumer. Han said moving away from the idea ble energy. The system is no longer linear, as homes of central control avoided the challenges of This would prevent the need for new and business-owners increasingly install solar communications technologies dropping out power stations, realizing further savings, and panels and supplement their network supply. at crucial moments. help to address climate change. Some feed excess electricity back into the grid, “We tried to find an evenly distributed Peter Wolfs, one of Han’s collaborators creating a two-way flow of electrons. way of control, and also co-ordinated control.” from Central Queensland University, said Distinguished Professor Qing-Long He said using a probabilistic approach even if the system is not adopted by the grid, Han, Swinburne’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Re- allowed them to get around the challenges of the system has application on smaller scales. search Quality) said the grid sometimes intermittent supply. They dictated the amount “Universities have electricity bills in the struggles with this intermittent, two-way of risk of failure they were willing to tolerate millions of dollars each year. With advanced supply and demand. He said some power in the system and let the mathematics deter- networked control and battery storage, they companies have restricted new solar con- mine how to manage the supply. could make better decisions about when to

including allocations,” said Chalmers. In The Bureau of Meteorology now an audit of existing water reporting pro- publishes its annual National Water Ac- cesses the researchers found a patchwork count for the ten nationally significant of methods in which some water users were water regions in Australia, including not considered. the Murray–Darling River Basin using Chalmer’s team established a collabo- the principles of general-purpose wa- rative process involving hydrologists, engi- ter reporting. neers, water–users and policy–makers. The The approach has had an influence outcome was a rigorous method to report globally as well, with the team’s ideas con- water stocks and flows. tributing to an emerging international dis- “The concept is really similar to gen- cipline of water accounting. eral-purpose financial accounts; you have Water accounting methods will be inte- a balance sheet that identifies water assets gral as society is forced to manage its water and liabilities,” said Chalmers. resources more carefully.

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 9 Highlights

Switched-on seniors Involving end–users in the design of new technology has worked wonders for older Australians

new check-in system for research team developed an iP- elderly people, designed ad-based, picture-frame system A with their emotional that allows older people to re- needs in mind, has proved suc- ceive photographs and messages cessful in early trials. from loved-ones each day. Director of Swinburne’s When the participants re- Future Self and Design Liv- sponded to these messages, ing Lab, Associate Professor community service providers Sonja Pedell, is part of a global and carers would be assured that movement of designers that be- they were OK. lieves end-users should be part- The prototype was embraced

ners in the search for solutions to by carers such as ‘Joe’, who felt it © Anthony Bradshaw/Stockbyte/Getty their problems. helped in sharing the care of an Pedell, along with Emeri- aged relative: “You can build a lives of the elderly, it often fell sign Innovation and the Living tus Professor Leon Sterling and network of support,” Joe said. “It short because it did not address Lab, Pedell and her colleagues other members of the Centre for shares the exposure and the re- their emotional requirements. were also investigating the use Design Innovation, turned their sponsibility.” She aimed to overcome that of music and humanoid robots attention to emergency alarms Pedell said elderly users through an “emotion-led ap- to increase socialisation among for vulnerable Australians, such were also more engaged with the proach [to design] where we ask dementia sufferers, and refur- as the elderly; a research project iPad system because it in- the end-users, ‘how would you bishment innovations in older supported by the Smart Internet creased their contact with family like to feel?’” people’s homes. Cooperative Research Centre and and friends. “From an emotional “The idea is listening to what Although fledgling, the work the Australian Research Council. point of view, people were feeling people want and taking their de- at Swinburne’s Living Lab has They found that older peo- not only cared for, but also cared sires and needs very seriously to been recognised with member- ple felt home-based emergen- about, and that is a critical differ- develop technologies that better ship to the European Network cy alarms and wellbeing check ence,” she said. meet them,” she said. of Living Labs, a move Pedell systems were like “cowbells” Pedell said while technology Through the Future Self said was already fostering global forced on them. In response, the had the potential to improve the project in the Centre for De- collaborations.

a decline in cognition might be linked to tre of Human Psychopharmacology aims to Ageing study stress at the cellular level. address that gap. “The study will provide the The project, called ARCLI — the richest source of information about the bio- considers food Australian Research Council Longevity logical mechanisms associated with cognitive Intervention, aims to create a biological ageing in humans. It was one of the reasons for thought map of cognitive decline and determine why the study was initially funded by the Aus- Swinburne researchers want to how plant-based medicines could slow the tralian Research Council,” said Stough. “This know whether extracts from ancient process. Investigation of the herb, Bacopa, is significant because age is the biggest pre- natural remedies could slow will be part of one of the largest trials of its dictor of cognitive decline, such as dementia.” cognitive ageing kind conducted in Australia. The ARCLI trial is gathering data on As we age, our memory, learning ability varied factors that could open a window n aquatic herb with a 4,000-year his- and processing deteriorates. Understanding to understanding cognitive ageing. Con- tory of improving memory function biological mechanisms causing this degenera- siderations include genetic markers, car- A is one of two plants under the spot- tion in the elderly is incomplete. diovascular health, inflammation, blood light in a Swinburne-led project on cognitive ARCLI, led by Professor Con Stough at markers, neuro-imaging and even gut bac- ageing. The research is exploring the idea that Swinburne University of Technology’s Cen- teria populations.

10 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights

the opportunity to design more innovative ENVISIONing and sustainable buildings. When cities become more compact, eco- liveable and nomic and environmental benefits follow, said Newton. “Compact cities can reduce carbon sustainable cities emissions from transport by around one third The negative impacts of urban compared to a low-density city,” he said. sprawl could be reduced with the Compact cities increase walkability, re- should consider using old public housing help of a new data tool ducing air pollution and greenhouse gas stock to increase dwelling yield and activate emissions, and they use less land, water and neighbourhoods, because it is easier to as- he harmful environmental impact of energy. They are healthier places to live as semble redevelopment precincts since there is Australia’s sprawling low-density cit- well as providing greater accessibility to jobs only one owner,” said Newton. T ies could be reduced with the use of a and services. “Another possibility is to offer support to new tool developed at Swinburne University Australian cities are renowned for being communities of private property owners so they of Technology. amongst the most liveable in the world, but can collectively sell their housing in one parcel ENVISION is a geospatial decision-mak- they rank poorly when it comes to sustain- to developers, providing owners with a 50-plus ing tool developed by Dr Stephen Glackin ability. Sprawling and car-centric, the cities per cent higher return on their principal asset.” and Professor Peter Newton for the Coop- have eco-footprints double that of those in Newton’s affiliation with the CRC for Low erative Research Centre (CRC) for Spatial Europe, and four times the global average. Carbon Living is developing other products, Information. It identifies large potential rede- State governments have targets to increase in collaboration with Swinburne to regener- velopment sites using indicators that identify densities via urban infill, but are not meeting ate greyfields with quality medium-density economically under-utilised urban assets. It their goals. “Development is happening on an housing precincts to slow sprawl and reduce looks for areas where the established build- ad-hoc basis in the form of knock-down-re- cities’ carbon footprint. Dr Stephen Glackin, a ings are ageing, of poor physical and envi- builds,” said Newton. “They are not necessari- Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Ur- ronmental quality, and where the land value ly near public transport or service centres, and ban Transitions, is involved in the community represents more than 70 per cent of the total private green space is typically lost,” he said. co-design of these low-carbon precincts in property value. ENVISION identifies clusters of prop- Melbourne and Sydney. Such ‘greyfields’ sites are key to redevelop- erties in the ageing established middle-ring Professor Deo Prasad, Chief Executive ing more compact and liveable communities (greyfield) suburbs, typically located between Officer of the CRC for Low Carbon Living, at a precinct level, according to Newton, from 10 and 30 kilometres from the city centre. said it’s indicative of the value created from Swinburne’s Centre for Urban Transitions, a As a multi-criteria analysis tool it also high- collaboration between the two organisations. partner in the CRC for Low Carbon Living. lights those properties close to public trans- “Not only do they provide social benefits, but Redeveloping the built environment at the port, schools and other services. “To catalyse they create significant economic impact by re-

oxidative stress and potentially stave off men- that cognition might have something to do tal deterioration associated with ageing. with oxidative stress. Importantly, anti-ox- Extracts from the Bacopa plant idant defences decrease considerably as we (CDRI08) and another natural compound, get older.” pycnogenol, are believed to have antioxidant The study has a 360-strong cohort and and anti-inflammatory properties and have ARCLI is seeking further recruits aged over been shown to improve mental capacity. 65 to help fill a significant gap in cognitive re- ARCLI will be the first long-term study search. “I think the data will provide high-lev- to chart their impact on brain function. “Ba- el evidence about whether Bacopa and pyc- copa has been used for about 4,000 years in nogenol could be used to improve function,” Early data have identified an increase in Ayuverdic medicine and it is technically the said Stough. “That is important because there a compound linked to oxidative stress, a state oldest known cognitive enhancer amongst are no pharmaceuticals for slowing cognitive where the body has a concentration of unsta- plant-based medicines,” said Stough. “Pycnog- ageing, the number of older citizens is grow- ble molecules that can break apart crucial cell enol is an extract from French maritime pine ing, and there are no proven interventions to components, such as proteins and even DNA. bark known for its ability to be a strong anti- stop dementia, so we definitely need some Anti-oxidants can prevent cell damage from oxidant, so this is really testing the hypothesis strategies in that space.” © Ivan_Spasic/iStock/Getty

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 11 Highlights

Turning current wisdom on its head Faster, sleeker, more powerful gadgets hit the market daily. The batteries that power them may have struggled to keep up, but an ultra-fast alternative is in sight.

Han Lin is optimistic: “The possibilities are waiting for exploration.” © Eamon Gallagher

winburne University of Technology researchers Swinburne’s Dr Han Lin found a way. First he sprayed have developed a method for three-dimensional flexible plastic with a layer of graphene oxide, a water-sol- S(3D) printing of a powerful battery that charges in uble graphene precursor. Then, he shone the laser beam seconds, can be recharged millions of times — and would from a 3D printer through this thin layer, which broke barely be noticeable placed inside your watchband. oxygen molecules from the graphene oxide and fused the The magic ingredient is graphene — a one-atom-thick precursor film into layers of thousands of graphene sheets sheet of carbon with an extremely large surface area that in one shot. allows a huge amount of charge to attach to its surface. Tests revealed Lin’s graphene supercapacitor charges Under a current, charged particles zip between graphene thousands of times faster than the lithium-ion batteries sheets much faster than in the sluggish chemical reactions that now power devices. “It’s much faster because it doesn’t at the electrodes in normal batteries. involve any chemical reaction, so you can put a high current But, to be useful as a battery, in this case called on it,” Lin explained. a ‘supercapacitor’, graphene needs to be stacked as The 3D-printed graphene battery is still expensive to thousands of overlapping sheets, something that until produce. But, because there are no chemical reactions dur- recently was impossible to create with existing labora- ing charging and discharging, graphene doesn’t suffer the tory methods. wear-and-tear of normal batteries. “The lifetime is a thousand times longer — so the cost per unit energy is much lower,” Lin pointed out. Lin recently teamed up with a commercial partner to negotiate a large-scale production line, and is hoping to replace batteries which are harmful to the environment, such as the lead acid battery. Graphene batteries require no special disposal and, Lin calculated, have double the energy capacity per kilogram of a lead acid battery. Thanks to Lin’s work, futuristic energy storage is now within reach. Flexible, thin-film batteries in your clothes 3D printers can be used to produce quick- and trains and buses that flash-charge their super-bat- charging batteries. teries when they reach a station are all conceivable with

12 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights

All things considered Harnessing the electronic chatter produced by internet- connected devices is helping solve problems in farms, factories, and society itself

rom smartphones to smart electricity meters, electric cars to factory machines, ever more things around us are connecting to the Finternet. Swinburne University of Technology computer scientist Professor Dimitrios Georgakopoulos has developed ways to gather and distil high-value information from the cacophony of data generated by the internet of things (IoT). “Just like the internet itself, where we rely on web data provided by other users we typically do not know, the grand challenge of IoT is learning from data produced by billions of machines and devices that are built, owned and maintained by others,” Georgakopoulos said. “Our strategy is to create IoT know-how that cuts across and has an impact on many of society’s problems.” His cloud-based IoT platforms and real-time data analysis engines have boosted productivity in farming and renewable power generation. Now he is developing IoT solutions for smarter factories and cities. Take the latest connected cars filling our city streets, for instance. “A Tesla car is a machine with thousands of sensors and cameras, connected to the internet 24-7,” Georgakopoulos said. “A connected car could indicate when it needs a mechanic, and then assess service offers from nearby workshops based on price, reputation, et cetera.” Socioeconomic issues, such as access to healthcare and the poor avail- ability of affordable housing close to employment centres, may seem a very different beast to connected cars, but Georgakopoulos has used the same data-driven IoT approach to address them. Real-estate data collected from the internet can identify clusters of existing affordable houses, and data on daily population movements collected via smart devices can identify opportunities for improving transport links for residents. Georgakopoulos discovered the power of IoT data almost inadvertently. In 2010, while working at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Re- search Organisation, he was approached by the High Resolution Plant Phe- nomics Centre and the Grains Research and Development Corporation to develop a large sensor-based system that would take the legwork out of crop trials conducted in approximately two million test plots around the country. After struggling with logistics and costs of deploying just 150 compatible sensors, “we had the idea to leave the selection, purchase and deployment of the sensors to the growers and plant scientists,” Georgakopoulos said. He and his team developed an IoT-based data collection and analysis system that could use data from almost any such sensor. This system quickly grew to include thousands of plots and more than 65,000 sensors. The lessons learned on the farms are now being applied in unexpected corners of research. Georgakopoulos plans to build strong partnerships with the manufacturing industry to make IoT tools a reality for the next generation of factories. And, through work with authorities, citizens, and service providers in cities across the world, he hopes to improve transport, energy generation, and disaster response, as well as improve sustainability. research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 13 Highlights

Patterns of creation Stem cells can be encouraged to sprout by changing the surface of the plastic they grow upon

ontrolling the patterning and time-consuming, limiting en weeks and have required the on the surface of plastics their industrial application. insertion of a layer of a protein Cmay soon enable us to In collaboration with the called vitronectin to achieve grow bone, fight infections and CSIRO’s manufacturing unit, conversion. By speeding up the reproduce stem cells, thanks to Kingshott’s group worked on a process and removing a step, research at Swinburne Universi- technique based on the patterns the Swinburne–Stem Cells Aus- ty of Technology. left by crystal particles as a solu- tralia technique could lead to Variations in the nanoscale tion evaporates. Their method time and cost savings in what structures on the surface of a can be carried out in any labo- is quickly becoming a valuable material can alter the devel- ratory, takes a few hours, rather medical field. opment of cells in the vicinity than months, and is scalable to a Kingshott said the same according to the work of Swin- practical size. approach could determine the burne’s Polymer NanoInterface The Swinburne group also behaviour of mature cells. “It Engineering Group. recently collaborated with the doesn’t necessarily have to be It opens potential for mak- Stem Cells Australia network to stem cells. It can be regenerating ing minute changes to the plastic develop a new, relatively cheap skin or regenerating bone.” surface of cell cultures and med- and time-efficient method to Kingshott’s group has also ical devices in order to control regress mature cells to stem shown that different surface how cells behave both inside and cell form. patterns can repel bacteria, outside the body. A particular crystal pattern pointing to useful applications “Depending on the type was laid down on the polysty- in medical implants and devic- of pattern and the type of cell, rene surface of cell incubating es. If catheters and bandages you get different responses. This wells, which were filled with ma- can be manufactured to repel means you have a starting point ture cells and a mixture of pro- bacteria, the need for antibiot- for controlling the cell pathway,” teins known to trigger the trans- ics could be reduced and the said group leader, Professor formation. In a matter of days, growing microbial resistance to Peter Kingshott. Through their the cells attached to the surface antibacterials negated. research, Kingshott’s team de- of the well and were converted Kingshott and his team are veloped a new method to create back to stem-cell form. now working to determine why patterns at the nanoscale, as ex- Previous methods of induc- the different surface patterns af- isting methods were expensive ing this pluripotency have tak- fect cell behaviour.

14 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights

A healthy debate Armed with data and evidence, rural communities are getting involved in decisions about their health

The Warracknabeal community garden meets many needs. © Wendy Hewitt © Wendy

Swinburne University of Technology done empowered participants to design cre- researcher has provided compelling ative solutions. Aevidence of the value of debate in cre- In one example, the framework was used ating effective health service programs. to address oral health in six Victorian and Professor Jane Farmer’s Remote Ser- Queensland communities. Combined with vice Futures (RSF) co-design framework other initiatives, it led to the Dental Health has engaged groups from Scotland to North Service of Victoria adopting new tooth-brush- Queensland and rural Victoria in grass- ing guidelines for schools and other centres roots design for solutions to long-term where hygiene education may be required. health problems. In another case, in 2012, Victoria’s Rural “We’re moving well beyond consulting Northwest Health (RNH) service collabo- with the community. We’re evolving into a de- rated with Farmer to increase community bate with evidence and data,” she said. engagement and improve health in the re- Farmer will be Director of Swinburne’s mote region. Outcomes, including a com- new Social Innovation Institute when it munity garden, are thriving, and a wellbeing launches in 2017. She said with the RSF garden designed through the program is framework, community members are provid- almost completed. ed with information about the health of their RNH Chief Executive Officer Catherine community along with research findings on Morley said the effectiveness of the frame- potential causes and prevention measures. work was evident in the results. In workshops, participants are then taken “There is a man who is not involved in through a decision-making process to devise any other group, who people would say is a a workable solution given the available re- bit of an outcast, but he now goes to the gar- sources. Farmer said the resulting proposals den every week. He’s engaged and people are can be unpredictable and innovative. happy to see him, he’s sharing his knowledge, Community involvement is currently he’s adding value and that’s what it is about.” commonly used in developing health ser- The results of Farmer’s research will go vices, but Farmer’s work has produced early towards encouraging more health services to evidence that providing communities with adopt the co-design approach, said Morley. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from comparative data about local health issues Farmer’s work is now going digital with adipose tissue can increased engagement in the planning pro- the development of an RSF framework app to grow on nanoscale cess. Getting access to current research and enable health-care providers to reach a greater

plastic surfaces. © Swinburne Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology discovering what other communities have range of community members. research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 15 Highlights Smashing up the old PhD program A new approach to doctoral studies will turn out industry-experienced graduates ready to undertake commercial research

winburne University of Technology has reworked Sits doctoral studies with a program aiming to create industry-ready graduates, able to undertake commercially applicable fundamental research. Professor of Biomedical En- gineering Sally McArthur, who helped design the new program, said they had completely rewritten the rules around the PhD. Through the Technology Innovation PhD Program, 10 students have taken on the challenge of solving problems within the biomedical field. “When you decide to break something, it’s great to really smash the whole thing up,” she laughed. The unique program is housed in the ARC Training Centre for Bio- © Eamon Gallagher devices, created through a $1.8 million ARC Industry Transformation- al Training Centre grant. was to get out in the end-user com- which he was attracted by the strong Sally McArthur is Critical to the program’s munity and identify 100 needs,” she industry links. rewriting the rules around a doctoral success was the involvement of said. At the same time students com- Working with bluechiip, he is studies program in nine partners, ranging from es- pleted master’s-level units in entre- investigating ways to enhance the biomedicine. “When tablished figures like St Vincent’s preneurship and innovation. performance and applications of you decide to break Hospital to industry startups This helped them convert their medical sensors used in fields such something, it’s great to such as identification chip manu- top-100 list into “opportunities for as stem cell research and IVF. really smash the whole thing up.” facturer, bluechiip. research,” which were whittled down Dislakis said he was impressed “We needed to recognise that if to possible projects. by the “soft skills” he had acquired they were going to invest there had These were pitched to the in- through the course, in particular to be outcomes for them. The idea dustry partners, who selected the how to manage uncertainty and deal is this helps industry develop new research and researcher they would with key stakeholders. “The pro- technology,” she said. invest in. There’s also room to grow. gram has provided me with a new Professor McArthur said the McArthur said the program can be perspective on product innovation program, launched in 2015, at- applied to any field with a cohort of in med-tech,” Dislakis said. tracted more than 60 applicants for three or more students and with sin- “By immersing myself in clin- 10 positions. gle or multiple industry partners. ics and by collaborating with lo- She said students started their Mechanical engineer, Victor Dis- cal companies I have been able to doctoral studies without a research lakis, 27, left an established career connect innovative technologies to topic. “The first goal we set for them to join the innovative program, to healthcare needs.”

16 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights Why we’re designed to move Clever urban design can make it easier to reap the health benefits of incorporating more physical activity into daily life

esigning urban environments that pro- now an urgent priority to better understand interruptions to sitting has major improve- mote activity and discourage sitting how improvements in the built environments ments in glucose, insulin, and blood pressure,” Dhas spurred the development of new of cities, along with initiatives in transport said Owen. cross-disciplinary research at Swinburne. policy and workplace design can help people Separately, in a comparison of lifestyles An estimated 5 million deaths around to be more active.” in cities around the world published in the world each year are attributable to sed- A globally renowned health sciences pro- The Lancet, Owen was one of an international entary lifestyles and in Australia the federal fessor, Owen was appointed Distinguished team of researchers that showed higher densi- government’s physical activity and sedentary Professor at Swinburne University of Tech- ty urban areas with good public transport and behaviour guidelines now recommend limits nology in June 2016. He has worked with the more green space, meant more active inhabit- on ‘sitting’ time. university’s Smart Cities Institute to ensure ants (see Physically active cities). The link between increased sitting time the clinical research identifying the determi- Within Swinburne’s new Smart Cities and greater risk of heart disease, diabetes and nants of metabolic disease instruct the forma- Institute, a multidisciplinary group including other illnesses was made in part thanks to tion of policies to shape urban environments social scientists, traffic engineers, urban de- work by new Swinburne appointment Profes- for better health. signers and epidemiologists, such as Owen, sor Neville Owen. Research funded by the National Health work has begun on translating these findings Owen’s work has shown that the amount and Medical Research Council at the Baker into practical solutions for improving health. of time a person spends sitting can signifi- Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, “There is huge potential at Swinburne to cantly influence their mortality risk. Impor- where Owen heads the Behavioural Epide- build those coalitions,” said Owen. The goal is tantly, evidence increasingly suggests the risk miology Laboratory, has established that urban design policy that will reduce the risk is reduced, but not eliminated, by compensat- breaking up periods of sitting can signifi- of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even ing with extra physical activity. cantly reduce blood coagulation, lower blood breast and colon cancer by helping people to “Spending long periods of time sitting can pressure and lead to healthier blood sugar sit less and be more physically active within be a significant mortality risk,” he said. “It is levels. “Something as simple as very brief the normal pattern of their lives.

P Ghent, Belgium Hong Kong, China Olomouc, Czech Republic 7,246 57,276 10.4 13 19,219 Baltimore, United States 317 426 15 1.2 4 265 3,424 1.1 18 639 Curitiba, Brazil 0.9 Wellington, New Zealand 6,338 24 Minutes of physical activity per day Net residential density per 0.5 kilometres 178 3,559 Public transport density per 0.5 kilometres 2 19.4 Street network distance from participant’s home to nearest stop or station in metres 222 Number of parks within a 0.5 kilometre buffer of participant’s home 1.4 Source: J. F. Sallis et al. The Lancet , 2207–2217 (2016).

A study of 6,822 adults aged 18–66 in cities around the world linked four environmental features with physical activity: residential density and public transport density, as well as how close participants lived to a park or station. Residents in Wellington, New Zealand, had the highest physical activity scores, and residents in Baltimore, United States, had the lowest.

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 17 Highlights Stolen wages analysis sheds light on historic injustice

A Swinburne researcher is working with Indigenous organisations to analyse the history of stolen wages practices in Victoria and their impact on indigenous peoples

ecades of state-sanctioned with- Queensland alone amount to an estimated holding of wages and social security $500 million, with potentially hundreds of Government stolen wages D benefits from Victorian Indigenous millions of dollars more withheld across compensation schemes people has been documented by research- the country. ers at Swinburne University of Technology “The fact that so much money has been For most of the nineteenth and twentieth in collaboration with the Wampan Wages stolen from Indigenous people over many centuries, Australian state and national Victorian Stolen Wages Working Group. It decades means that there has been far less governments institutionalised practices to is an effort that could lead to Victoria’s first accumulation of intergenerational wealth, control the wages, savings and benefits scheme to compensate for the discrimina- which is reflected in the socio-economic sta- owed to Indigenous people, today known as tory practices. tistics today,” said Gunstone. “The policies of stolen wages practices. “This historical analysis will develop the past have a direct impact on the present.” a greater understanding of the past, while As a result of Indigenous-led legal and 1869 also helping to develop appropriate models political campaigns, several governments Aborigine Protection Act enacted in of reparative justice,” said Andrew Gun- have developed stolen wages compensa- colony of Victoria controls almost all stone, Professor of Indigenous Studies and tion schemes. aspects of Aboriginal people’s lives Director of Indigenous Strategy at Swin- In 2002, the Queensland government burne. It’s more than just an academic exer- announced the first compensation pack- 2002 cise: “The project adheres to the principle of age to former workers, but it was capped Queensland announces first compen- reciprocity and aims to benefit both Indige- at $55.6 million. New South Wales intro- sation package for former Indigenous nous peoples and universities.” duced a repayment scheme in 2004 that did workers (capped at $4,000 per individual) For much of the 19th and 20th centu- not set formal limits and in 2012 Western ries, state governments in Australia imple- Australia offered a maximum of $2,000 to 2004 mented a range of practices to control the those who surrendered their right to any New South Wales government apologises money received by Indigenous people, from future claims. for stolen wages practices and introduces the underpayment or non-payment of sal- Other states and territories, including repayment scheme aries, to the redirection of funds to inac- Victoria, are yet to develop any stolen wages cessible trust accounts, and exclusion from compensation schemes. 2006 social security benefits. The financial cost of The research will be completed in 2017 Australian Senate inquiry into stolen these stolen wages to families in the state of and presented to the Victorian government, wages “received compelling evidence as part of a campaign for a stolen wages that governments systematically withheld compensation scheme. and mismanaged Indigenous wages and “After all, this money used to build Vic- entitlements over decades” toria came from the sweat and tears of our ancestors,” said Aboriginal elder, Aunty Dot 2007 Peters, during an early consultation. “Justice Study estimates that $500 million was must be given to all families from whom stolen from Indigenous people in wages were stolen and now is the time.” Queensland alone “Through this research, we are educating the wider Australian community regarding 2012 Professor Andrew Gunstone the history and impact of stolen wages pol- Western Australia launches a reparation pictured with the Wurundjeri icies,” said Gunstone. “We call on the Victo- scheme capped at $2,000 per acknowledgement plaque at rian government to develop a genuinely fair individual Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus.

18 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights Return to the fold for super-strong structures

Origami-like composite panels may hold the key to lightweight and explosion-resistant structural components

ight-weight structural panels that can stop bullets or withstand bombs are Lthe goal of a team of researchers working at Swinburne University of Technology. Since antiquity, engineers have used ge- ometric tricks to improve the performance of load-bearing structures such as trusses and arches. Now, the team led by Profes- sor Guoxing Lu from Swinburne’s School of Engineering has put a modern twist on this ancient science by replacing solid metal panels with super-tough and light of aluminium aluminium ‘sandwich’ structures inspired foam prevent- by Japanese origami patterns. ed air and other A typical sandwich panel inserts a soft, fluids from moving semi-hollow inner core between two thin freely during a blast and strong outer skins. Spacing the skins impact, which affect- a small distance apart makes the panels ed the panel in differ- much stiffer than the sheet would oth- ent ways. erwise be while dramatically decreasing “Apart from mechan- overall bulk. “The aerospace industry uses ical requirements that they sandwich panels because they work so well must be strong enough, in reducing weight,” said Lu. “But increas- there can be thermal or ingly, we’re seeing them in vehicles and civ- acoustic issues with the panels,” il infrastructure.” said Lu. “If you could combine Lu and his co-workers are at the fore- these factors in the right way, there An origami pattern known as the Miura front of efforts to use sandwich structures would be a real advantage.” fold can help dissipate energy inside to protect against catastrophic events — a Lu is embarking on a four-year explosive-proof structural panels. terrorist bombing, for example, or the im- project to create all-in-one sandwich pact of a plane crash. If designed optimal- panels by designing cores with specific ge- ly, the soft, crushable cores of these panels ometric folds. Engineers are finding that can effectively dissipate energy, while the paper origami models are readily adapt- rigid outer skins resist deformation. The ed into ‘deployable’ structures that switch team used high-speed cameras to under- from compact to expanded structures us- flat sheets into peaks resembling moun- stand how these innovative materials are ing simple mechanical motion. With help tains and valleys. “We can control the core affected by ballistic collisions by projec- from collaborator Zhong You at Oxford by adjusting only the geometry, and it en- tiles or pressure waves from explosions. University in the United Kingdom, Lu aims ables air to flow freely,” noted Lu. “If we Recently, the researchers have had to use shape-shifting origami cores to improve it offers better performance for the promising results with aluminium foam, prove both energy dissipation and fluid same mass, it could be very useful.” a porous metal tougher than traditional movement in blast-resistant panels. If successful, the potential applications, cores with exceptional energy absorption The team’s initial investigations infor personal safety, building, and aviation,

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 19 Highlights

Scanning electron microscope image of the fracture surface of a material made of cocoon silk and biodegradable plastic, which could be used to heal broken bones. A soft touch for mending broken bones Professor Alan Lau’s combination of a little silk with a biodegradable plastic may be the formula to heal broken bones

ilk is an unlikely substitute the need for further surgery. But for steel in any context, but so far, PLA has proved too weak Sfor bone fractures, it may to reinforce bone. just be the perfect thing. A Swin- Lau came across part of burne University of Technology the solution in 2007. Avian flu researcher has developed a mix had broken out in his native of cocoon silk fibres and biode- Hong Kong and more than a gradable polymers that may one million chickens were killed to day hold bones together and help stop the spread. He wondered heal them from the inside out. why the chicken feathers weren’t Steel plates and bolts are used for something. The idea of often a surgeon’s only tools for mixing animal fibres with other fixing fractured bones. The materials was the genesis of his problem is that steel can block breakthrough, but the fibres from

new bone cells from repairing feathers were difficult to purify. © Eamon Gallagher the fracture. Removing the steel Lau’s team found an alternative said Lau. “But there’s still a long Alan Lau has mixed through further surgery can that was easier to work with: the way to go.” animal fibres with degradable plastics for leave bones brittle. silk from a silkworm’s cocoon. Lau is now tackling the de- better bone recovery. Materials scientist, Professor In 2008 Lau’s team at Hong sign of the right pins and screws, Alan Lau, said this impediment Kong Polytechnic University speculating that the material was a real problem and that a re- combined cocoon silk fibres with could one day be tailored for placement for steel was needed. PLA and found the polymer be- individual patients by scanning For 10 years, researchers have came harder. Adding around their fracture and 3D printing a investigated a biodegradable pol- six per cent silk fibre made the shape that fits perfectly. ymer called PLA, already used in biodegradable polymer as strong He is looking for collabora- some food packaging, for med- as bone. tors in Australia to start animal ical implants. If PLA could pin The scientists also found cells trials and eventually progress the bones together and then be gently can grow around the material as material to patients. He is opti- resorbed by the body over time, it degrades, showing potential for mistic: “If we can find a partner bone cells could enter the fracture use in patients. “At this stage we here to continue, this material

and heal the bone and eliminate have a great accomplishment,” will progress very fast.” © Alan Lau

20 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights Supercool breakthrough brings new quantum benchmark The first detection of the low-energy ‘Goldstone mode’ will provide new insights into superconductivity and other quantum phenomena

Quantum collaborators from left to right: Chris Vale, Paul Dyke and Sascha Hoinka. © Eamon Gallagher

y gently prodding a swirling cloud ities,” said Chris Vale, an Associate Profes- The team’s sophisticated experi- of supercooled lithium atoms with sor at the Centre for Quantum and Optical mental set-up allowed this co-ordinat- Ba pair of lasers, and observing the Science, who led the research. “That’s a big ed quantum behaviour to be detected. By atoms’ response, researchers at Swinburne part of the motivation for what we do.” fine-tuning the interaction of their lasers with University of Technology have devel- Vale and his colleagues, including Sascha the Fermi gas, Vale and his colleagues were oped a new way to probe the properties of Hoinka and Paul Dyke, also at Swinburne, de- for the first time able to detect the elusive, low quantum materials. veloped a new way to explore the behaviour of energy Goldstone mode, an excitation that Quantum materials — a family that in- this family of materials. They detected when only appears in systems that have entered a cludes superfluids, superconductors, exotic a ‘Fermi gas’ of lithium atoms, a simple quan- synchronised quantum state. magnets, ultracold atoms and recently-dis- tum material, entered a quantum ‘superfluid’ “Because our experiment provides a covered ‘topological insulators’ — display on state. Their system allows theories of super- well controlled environment and the ap- a large scale some of the remarkable quantum conductivity and related quantum effects to pearance of the Goldstone mode is very effects usually associated with microscopic be precisely checked against experiment, to clear, our measurements provide a bench- and subatomic particles. see whether the theories are accurate and how mark that quantum theories can be test- But, while quantum mechanics explains they could be refined. ed against before they’re applied to more the behaviour of microscopic particles, ap- The researchers’ advance was based on complex systems like superconductors,” plying quantum theory to larger systems is the fact that quantum materials’ special prop- Vale said. far more challenging. “While the potential of erties emerge when their constituent particles “By developing methods to understand quantum materials, such as superconduc- enter a synchronised state. The zero-resist- large systems that behave quantum mechan- tors, is undeniable, we need to fully grasp ance flow of electrons through superconduc- ically, we’re building the knowledge base the underlying quantum physics at play in tors, for example, emerges when electrons can that will underpin future quantum-enabled

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 21 The structural fibres of a cell showing the level of precise detail made possible by a new imaging method developed at Swinburne.

THE INSIDE OF CELLS AS NEVER SEEN BEFORE A partnership between biologists and physicists is lighting the way for new imaging techniques providing a never-before glimpse of the inner workings of the cell

22 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights

esearchers will have a Russell’s group discovered clearer view of the inner the technique also had the po- Rworkings of cells using a tential to show precisely how new method being developed at fibres are arranged. This clearer Swinburne that is bringing image picture could provide informa- resolution to new levels of clarity. tion on the nuances of fibre or- Professor Sarah Russell, an ganisation in different cells and immunologist at Swinburne’s compartments, providing clues Centre of Microphotonics, leads on development and function. the Cell Biology lab. Her group Being a biologist embedded fine-tuned a super-resolution in the company of physicists in microscopy method known as a 16-year-long collaboration be- STORM, which has allowed re- tween Peter MacCallum Cancer searchers to capture clear images Centre and Swinburne research- to the tens of nanometres. ers meant that Russell had access STORM is dependent on to expertise that allowed her to antibodies to ‘hold’ colour mole- fast-track ideas. cules, so that the parts of the cell “There is so much physics researchers wanted to see under and chemistry that can be used the microscope can be tagged. to improve imaging. This work But using antibodies brought is a clear indication why it is so technical problems that inter- valuable to have physicists who fered with accuracy and created already know how to talk to biol- blurring of the images. ogists and vice versa,” said Rus- “You’re restricted by chemis- sell. “At Swinburne we can work try. The antibody is a whacking together and it’s a fantastic illus- big molecule, and when you are tration why this collaboration is homing in on these very precise such a good set-up.” locations, the last thing you need The results were published during imaging is a great big in mid-2016 but Russell’s group thing wobbling around, increas- is already closing in on another ing the risk of error,” said Russell. imaging technique that makes The turning point was use of the polarisation of light. when Ye Chen, a Post-Doctor- Together with the fine-tuned al Fellow in Russell’s lab devel- STORM technique, she plans oped some tricks with which to see both methods applied to to substitute the antibody with monitoring and recording how a smaller molecule, such as a immune cells respond during an cell membrane dye. Replacing infection in real-time. the usual antibody middleman “The major effort is to keep with smaller molecules led to a tweaking until we get to the method that didn’t damage the stage where these technolo- cell and consistently generated a gies are genuinely valuable for brighter and stronger signal for learning about biology,” said the microscope. Russell. “At the moment there The results were images that have not yet been many new resembled a finely woven net, biological discoveries made showing in crisp detail fibres that based on super-resolution im- make up the structural scaffold- aging. But nobody is giving up ing in the cell membrane, in far on it and refining the methods greater resolution than the origi- will be critical for biological

Coffee grounds, waste bricks and old tyres are some of the discarded materials reducing the environmental impact of road surfaces

offee addicts will soon take further won’t become the dominant road-base pleasure from their morning brew, anytime soon. “We estimate that Mel- Cwith the knowledge that the grounds bourne coffee drinkers only produce from their drink are contributing to more enough coffee grounds to build five kilo- environment-friendly roads, thanks to metres of road per year.” researchers at Swinburne University Through partnerships with Vic Roads of Technology. and Sustainability Victoria, Arulrajah also Professor Arul Arulrajah from the studied the best way to reuse materials Swinburne Centre for Sustainable Infra- such as brick, glass, concrete and structure and his colleagues found a way rock in road construction. to treat the unlikely combination of coffee His work has led to grounds and slag from iron production for recycled content use in roads. being ap- “I am an avid coffee drinker and I no- proved ticed that baristas throw away a lot of coffee for grounds,” he said. He discovered the mixture of coffee grounds and iron slag was strong enough to be used as the foundation material beneath the road surface. But the mix- tu re

24 Research Impact March 2017 Highlights © Eamon Gallagher Arul Arulrajah could turn your daily brew into sustainable infrastructure.

road-building. Australia generates around high-traffic roads and 100 per cent recycled Another research project is looking to 19 million tonnes of waste from demolition material for low-volume roads. improve the lifespan of footpaths by add- and construction each year, ing rubber from old tyres, including potentially reusa- through funding from Tyre ble concrete, rock, brick and VIC ROADS HAS NOW APPROVED Stewardship Australia and glass. Only 55 per cent is re- ADDING 15 PER CENT RECYCLED Vic Roads. covered or recycled. “Australia produces Brick and glass have GLASS OR BRICK IN about 52 million passenger been historically consid- HIGH-TRAFFIC ROADS. tyres annually,” said Liam ered unsuitable for road O’Keefe, Market Develop- base and were limited to small percentag- The use of landfill waste over virgin ment Manager, Tyre Stewardship Australia. es, but Arulrajah and his team tested waste quarry materials lowers the carbon diox- “While we send some tyre waste over- concrete, rock, brick, and glass and found ide emissions associated with road-build- seas to be burned as fuel, we only recycle the materials as good or better than quar- ing. Sourcing the raw materials and 5 to 10 percent in Australia,” O’Keefe said. ried material. “We used the same rigorous turning them into concrete, plus the Professor Arulrajah is researching how tests as with quarry material, in the labora- chemical reaction that occurs as concrete to add tyre-derived aggregates to the sub- tory and the field,” said Arulrajah. sets, releases 65 per cent more carbon di- base layer to reduce cracking and lengthen Vic Roads has now approved add- oxide than repurposing waste concrete for pavement life.

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 25 Highlights Business development programs yield better bang for bucks

Should governments keep their noses out of business development? Swinburne has the answer.

Victorian government program that method characterised by strong scientific el- helps Australian businesses make con- ements, including controls, to determine if, A nections and improve their interna- on cost–benefit basis, the millions of dollars tional exports resulted in an extra $1.8 million invested in business development programs influx to the Australian economy per partic- were well spent. ipant, a Swinburne University of Technology Focusing on two programs — trade mis- study has found. sions, where a government official takes a “The program more than paid for itself in delegation to meet trade representatives over- the cost–benefit analysis and warrants more seas and VicStart, a Victorian government investment,” said Professor Beth Webster, an initiative aimed at assisting innovators and industrial economist from Swinburne’s Centre entrepreneurs — the team had the unenviable for Transformative Innovation. task of whittling down 40 million data points, The question of how or if the government gathered between 2002 and 2014, to a more should support business has long been de- manageable level. By examining more than a bated. Many believe the government should decade worth of data, the team were able to re- remain separate, while others think it has a duce political sensitivity and to allow time for duty to help Australian businesses develop the programs to have an effect. international credibility. Despite vociferous They found that VicStart participants re- rhetoric on both sides, there has been a lack of ported an 8 per cent increase in sales and cost objective data for officials to base their funding the government about $16,000 per company. decisions on — until now. The trade missions program resulted in an Webster and her colleague, Associate export increase of $1.8 million per participant Professor Alfons Palangkaraya, pored over over the 12 months following the program. data from more than one million Australian The government subsidy per participant was businesses to see if government programs between $2,000 and $3,000. The team noted designed to help small to medium-sized that these types of studies could help gov- businesses provide bang for their buck. ernments establish better criteria for deci- Previous analysis focused on case studies sion-making, “when choosing if they should and small sample sizes, which Webster com- invest in these types of programs or build a pared unfavourably with drug testing proto- new road instead.” cols. “Would you be happy using a drug that Moving forward, the study could be im- had only been tested on ten people?” proved by including data related to repeat at- The limited data on outcomes led to a tendance in the programs, as Webster noted, lot of changing of government policies to see “more data, means more nuanced informa- which programs worked and which didn’t, tion — at the moment it’s more of a head- until decisions were made almost on a trial line measure of success.” She also noted that and error basis. this approach could be extended to exam- Beth Webster (left) and Alfons Palangkaraya (right) are analyzing In contrast to this haphazard approach, ine the effectiveness of commonwealth and government programs using

Webster and Palangkaraya used an empirical overseas programs. © Eamon Gallagher empirical methods.

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research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 27 Features

COVER STORY

BAOHUA JIA “Life is basically governed by physics and chemistry. If you know the rules, everything is simple.”

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BAOHUA JIA is driven by the desire to change lives, and her work has led to breakthroughs in renewable energy and medical imaging technologies SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS

ou never forget a good teacher, think very differently about physics.” says Swinburne researcher Raised in Tianjin on China’s north- Professor Baohua Jia. Especially eastern coast, from a young age Baohua one who unlocks the world of enjoyed “experimenting and thinking Yscience, inspiring you to dedi- things through,” an approach she attrib- cate your life to research. utes to her father, an engineer, who she “As a child I wasn’t very good at phys- remembers fixing things around their ics, but in high school there was a physics home. Now an Associate Professor at teacher who really changed my attitude,” Swinburne University of Technology, she explains Baohua, recalling the moment is clearly very good at both. Her work has her interest in the subject was piqued. contributed to the development of speedi- “He was able to explain really complicated er telecommunications, cheaper and more

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 29 Features

WONDER STUFF

First made in 2004 by researchers in the UK, whose work won them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010, graphene is the world’s first two-dimensional (2D) material. Its remarkable physical properties have intrigued scientists ever since, and could usher in the next technological revolution. Made from layers of single carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice, graphene is around two hundred times stronger than steel of the equivalent thickness, a thousand times more conductive than copper, tougher than diamond, and incredibly flexible and stretchable. It is also completely transparent. Graphene could open the door for flexible, wearable smartphones and tablets that could be rolled-up like a newspaper. Being transparent, it can be used in applications such as the touchscreens on phones, or electricity-generating window panes. In the future, graphene could also be used to coat machinery, resulting in almost zero energy loss between moving parts, improving energy efficiency and extending the life of the equipment. It could also be used for coating surgical tools and killing bacteria, reducing the need for antibiotics, leading to lower rates of post-operative infections and improving recovery times.

Plane waves of light Graphene oxide lens

graphene’s amazing properties to streamline focusing on fibre-optic sensors and their use in and once I found a direction for my research, I lenses and store energy. telecommunications. really enjoyed myself,” explains Baohua. “I like to know the rules that govern After completing her master’s degree in In recognition of the quality of her things, and physics is really the rules behind 2002, an opportunity to study overseas arose research she was awarded the Biotechnology everything,” says Baohua. “Life is basically when a meeting with the head of the Centre for Entrepreneur Young Achievement Australia governed by physics and chemistry. If you Micro-Photonics at Swinburne University of Award in 2005, the first of many accolades. know the rules, everything is simple.” Technology in Melbourne led to the offer of a Shortly after giving birth to her first child scholarship to study for a PhD. in 2006, she received her PhD, which she WOWED BY “I’d always wanted to go overseas to gain describes as one of the happiest moments of SWINBURNE more experiences and further my knowledge, her life: “My daughter was six months old and After completing her university entrance ex- and was considering going to America, but attended the graduation ceremony with me. I ams, Jia majored in optics for her undergrad- when I saw what Swinburne were doing, I was very proud of that.” uate double degree, studying for a Bachelor thought ‘wow’ and moved to Australia instead,” “She loves science, and my son, who is now of Science in Applied Optics and Bachelor Baohua explains. four, is also asking questions. I love explaining of Economics and Management at Nankai Despite adapting well to the cultural things to them. Sometimes I can’t answer, so I University in Tianjin. change, she says the first year was particu- encourage them to look things up in books.” “Light seemed really clean and bright larly challenging as she battled to find a OPTICAL CIRCUITS to me. I wasn’t thinking logically, it just felt direction for her research. Having previously 6, 8433 and right,” says Baohua. “I’m also an energetic worked with fibre-optics, she was now work- With a young family to consider, she initially person who wants to do many things. I ing in a new field in which her knowledge struggled with the competitive and uncer- et al. enjoyed science, but also studying man- was limited. tain nature of academic research, and at one agement turned out to be very important for Deciding to work in near-field optics — a point considered leaving the field to pursue my career development.” branch of science that seeks to improve the something else. Her persistence, however, Baohua says she was always interested in performance of imaging devices, such as was about to pay off. finding practical solutions to problems, and, af- cameras and microscopes — she focused her Soon after receiving her doctorate she ter graduating, continued to pursue her interest research on “practical outcomes that could was offered a position at the Centre for in optics by studying for a Master of Science in change people’s lives”. Ultrahigh-Bandwidth Devices for Op-

Optical Communications at Nankai University, “My supervisors were very supportive, tical Systems (CUDOS), an Australian © Reproduced from Nature Communicavtions licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/legalcode) © 2015 X. Zheng

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GRAPHENE LENS Baohua and co-workers have created an ultrathin graphene oxide lens (blue) that can convert plane waves of light (red) into a focal spot, Focal spot capable of producing images with the quality and sharpness of much larger glass lenses. GRAPHENE’S ASTONISHING PROPERTIES PROMISE TO REVOLUTIONIZE MANY OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGIES.

Research Council (ARC) funded Centre used in telecommunications, which are slow to transfer much larger amounts of data. The of Excellence. and have limited bandwidth,” Baohua explains. results appeared in the journals Nature Photon- “I was responsible for coordinating “Those two years were very enjoyable and ics and Advanced Materials. 20 researchers from across five different uni- extremely fulfilling.” In recognition of her work for CUDOS, she versities, and our goal was to develop an optical The project led to a breakthrough in optical was awarded an ARC post-doctoral fellowship chip to replace the current electronic chips circuitry, accelerating telecommunications able (APD) in 2008, which proved to be a turning point in her career. SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS GLOBAL CAPACITY “The fellowship meant I could develop a long-term goal. Continuity as a researcher The global solar photovoltaics market has seen record growth for the past decade, spurred by 227 annual new investment in the public and private sector. The total capacity in 2015 was estimated allows you to develop an in-depth understand- at 227 gigawatts. ing of a subject,” Baohua explains. “Swinburne 200 gave me the freedom and support to focus on Annual additions in gigawatts 177 my own research and continue along the path I Capacity in gigawatts $161 wanted to follow.” New investment in billion USD $155 $146 150 138 SOAKING UP THE SUN $144 In keeping with Baohua’s philosophy that

$104 $119 research should lead to practical outcomes 100 100 that can change lives, she turned her attention to solar cell technologies, and in 2010 was ap- 70 $ 62 pointed research leader in nanophotonics solar $ 64 technology at Swinburne. 50 $ 39 40 Taking on the challenge of reducing the $ 22 23 cost and improving the efficiency of solar cells $16 16 — a problem manufacturers have grappled with 5.1 6.7 9 0 for decades — she approached the problem 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 from a new angle, using Swinburne’s expertise

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“I LIKE TO KNOW THE RULES THAT GOVERN THINGS, AND PHYSICS “If more light enters the solar cell, a higher IS REALLY THE RULES BEHIND efficiency can be achieved,” she explains. “So we approached Suntech Power EVERYTHING.” Holdings, one of the world’s largest solar cell manufacturers with our ideas. They were keen to collaborate, but on the condition that we could secure government support.” Solar cells are made of multiple layers of FILM STARS into the human body to confirm diagnosis semi-conducting materials that convert light to Baohua continues to work on solar cells, but or deliver treatment, which are currently electricity. To improve efficiency, most research has recently turned her attention to graphene several millimetres wide — could be made had focused on increasing the purity of the (see Wonder stuff, page 30), whose astonishing a million times smaller. Baohua’s work on layers. Baohua, working with her team, looked properties promise to revolutionize technolo- graphene lenses was published in 2015 in at how extremely small materials interact with gies. “Much of the research has focused on syn- Nature Communications. light, a field known as nanoplasmonics, and thesizing graphene, but our starting point was Baohua and her colleagues are also in- developed a low-cost solar cell that absorbs quite different,” explains Baohua. “We were investigating graphene’s amazing physical and more light than can be manufactured using terested in looking at its optical properties and electrical properties for their potential use as current technologies. their potential use in real-world applications.” supercapacitors, capable of storing very large The solar cell is a thousand times thinner Producing graphene can be costly and amounts of energy, which could soon replace than current cells. By placing it on a glass pane, challenging, so Baohua and her colleagues conventional batteries (see Turning current it could replace expensive rooftop solar cells used a laser to pattern layers of graphene oxide wisdom on its head, page 12). with windows capable of powering the whole (graphene combined with oxygen), and then “Baohua has really advanced our knowl- building (See Solar photovoltaics global ca- by removing the oxygen, produced low-cost, edge of graphene in the last few years,” says pacity, page 31). Supported by their industrial patterned films of graphene, a thousand times Professor David Moss. “We’ve had a lot of partner and Swinburne University, Baohua’s thinner than a human hair. interest in the lens technology, and it’s her team secured funding from the Victorian gov- “By patterning the graphene oxide film in that is driving this forward. The work is a ernment, and the Victoria-Suntech Advanced this way, its optical and electrical properties real strength for the centre.” Solar Facility opened in 2010, with Baohua ap- can be altered, which allowed us to place them David joined Swinburne University as pointed a senior research fellow for the facility. in different devices,” says Baohua. Research Director of the Centre of Mi- “I’ve known Baohua for more than a The work has led to the development of cro-Photonics six months ago and has al- decade,” says Professor John Wilson. “She’s a a lens a billionth of a metre thick that can be ready come to respect not only Baohua’s ex- very good team player and also works well on placed on the tip of an optical fibre capable of pertise, but also to appreciate her assistance her own. producing images with the quality and sharp- in helping him settle into the role. “She’s very “Her work has always been very innovative. ness of much larger glass lenses. open and supportive, and it’s a huge pleasure She really is quite a star and a real asset to the “Compared with current lenses, our to work with her,” David says. university.” John has been the Executive Dean graphene lens only needs one film to achieve “Taking over a new centre isn’t easy and of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and the same resolution. In the future, mobile we have a number of Chinese students that Technology at Swinburne for the past five years phones could be much thinner, without having Baohua has helped with adapting to a new and has great respect for Baohua’s research and to sacrifice the quality of their cameras. Our culture, which can often be very challenging.” her approach to working with others. lens also allows infrared light to pass through, A positive and open attitude epitomizes “She has a very caring nature too, and I which glass lenses don’t allow,” explains Baohua. Baohua’s approach to work and life. “Life had the privilege of meeting her daughter and Warm objects give off infrared light, and so should be enjoyed, and doing my science mother at an award ceremony,” says John, re- mobile phones with graphene lenses could be work makes me enjoy life more,” she says. ferring to the occasion when she was awarded used to scan for hotspots in the human body In addition to her research, supervisory and the Australian Institute of Policy and Science’s and help in the early identification of diseases teaching responsibilities, she also regularly 2013 Young Tall Poppy Science Award. “It was like breast cancer. gives talks to schoolchildren. “A teacher lovely to see the three generations celebrating And by attaching the lens to a fibre optic changed my life, and I’d like to do the same her success together.” tip, endoscopes — instruments inserted thing for the kids I speak to.”

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Being connected to the MAPPING internet is increasingly the key to any chance of THE wealth, education and status. Identifying unconnected DIGITAL Australians is the first step to DIVIDE improving social equity.

ustralia’s optic slow — or satellite broadband, which mation, so we just work around that fibre network is too expensive. and plan to use the library,” Carly says. has arrived in “I knew there was no mobile This is the digital divide: an the rural city phone reception when I moved out invisible, but very real line, between of Mudgee in here, but I thought I would at least be the digital-haves and the digi- central New able to get broadband,” Carly says. To tal-have-nots. South Wales, make matters worse, her workplace On one side of the divide are the Abut that doesn’t help Carly Hanra- just outside town doesn’t have an majority of Australians, who enjoy han. Living more than 20 kilometres internet connection either. Instead, fast, affordable access to the internet outside the town, she can’t connect to she has to plan all her online activities, and know how to get the most out of the network. She also lives more than including schoolwork for her young it. But for another three million or so, 15 kilometres from available mobile son, around trips to Mudgee. access, cost or know-how are a major phone reception. Her only options to “It’s getting to be a problem with barrier to taking part in many aspects get online are through dial-up — too his homework and looking up infor- of modern life.

The gap between those who have access to fast and affordable internet and those who don’t is deepening. © bjdlzx/E+/Getty

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 33 Features

veys, which involve face-to-face interviews with more “The costs — financial, than 50,000 Australians from across the country, exploring their internet and technology use, attitudes social and economic — of and demographics. From this enormous dataset, the Swinburne research being digitally excluded team identified three critical dimensions of digital inclusion: access, affordability and digital ability. Access are increasing, while the describes how, where, how frequently and by what means people access the internet. Affordability describes how benefits of being digitally much of an individual’s income is spent on accessing the included are growing digital world and how affordable that is. Digital ability describes how much people can do online and how con- exponentially.” fident they are with using the internet for banking, social media, and searching for information. “Access to infrastructure is important, but it is not The cost is real and significant, says Dr Scott the full story,” Barraket says. “The index suggests that Ewing, senior research fellow at Swinburne University affordability is an issue that needs to be monitored as of Technology. we do more and more online, and that digital ability is a “Digital exclusion exacerbates financial disadvantage, fundamental aspect of digital inclusion around which we because increasingly firms want to transact with consum- can do more to build people’s capacity to participate.” ers online and you pay a penalty if you want to transact offline,” Ewing says. “It also means you can’t access cheap- AGE AND EDUCATION er goods and services.” The first report from the Australian Digital Inclusion While some people might not see social media as an Index has examined three years’ of data from 2014–2016, essential part of life, for those locked out of this world, and shows that these three dimensions of digital inclu- it is a significant social cost. “Over time, the online–of- sion vary enormously across age, geography, socioeco- fline binary thing is just going away. People are moving nomic profile and education level (see Digital inclusion in between the two modes and if you’re excluded from one Australia, page 35). mode, this is a great disadvantage,” Ewing says. Digital ability in particular is tied to age and edu- “The digital divide is not new, but its contours are cation, says Nancie-Lee Robinson, General Manager of changing as we conduct more of our lives online,” says Digital Inclusion at Telstra. While anyone born in the last Professor Jo Barraket, who is Director of the Centre for 20 years has grown up in the digital age, there are mil- Social Impact at Swinburne. “The costs — financial, lions of Australians aged over 65 who haven’t, and they social and economic — of being digitally excluded are are more vulnerable to digital exclusion. increasing, while the benefits of being digitally included “This is where education comes into play. Large are growing exponentially.” portions of the workforce — because of the kinds of work The first step towards overcoming this divide is to they’ve been doing these past 20 years, are not as skilled understand whom it affects. This is the aim of the Aus- as others in terms of digital use,” Robinson says. “Even tralian Digital Inclusion Index — a collaboration between though they have the access, what they’re doing online is Swinburne University of Technology; Australian telecom- not the same as what an 18-year-old is doing.” munications company Telstra; collaborative research hub, As technology evolves, older generations face a the Centre for Social Impact; and Roy Morgan market greater challenge in keeping up-to-date. “Even though we research company. might have people who know how to email or search on “The index provides us with clear longitudinal infor- the internet, do they know how to use social media, pay mation about the geographic and demographic dimen- their bills, purchase something or create content?” sions of digital inclusion in Australia,” says Barraket. “We In Australia, where you live also has a big impact wanted to think about what constitutes inclusion and on your ability to access digital services, and this is an then look at who is and isn’t included and how we are issue that other countries don’t necessarily face, says collectively progressing over time.” Julian Thomas, former Professor of Media and Com- The starting point for this is data from Roy Mor- munications at Swinburne. “It’s a striking fact that the gan Research’s ongoing, weekly Single Source Sur- people who, in a way, have the most to gain from these

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technologies because of their remoteness and isolation, ta nsn ne sre 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 are often the people who have least access and oppor- Australia average (54.5) tunity to use them,” he says. ≥70,000 The third dimension of digital inclusion — af- NT 40,000– 69,999 fordability — revealed some surprises. While the cost of 25,000– 39,999 data has gone down, affordability of digital access has ac- ne QLD 10,000– 24,999 tually declined across Australia, particularly in Tasmania. WA 10,000 “Household incomes have been pretty static for three Full–time years, but people are spending more money on data,” Part–time

Thomas says. Some of this increased cost may come SA NSW None ent about as more Australians sign on to live streaming Tertiary entertainment services, such as Netflix, which could be Secondary being offset as they spend less money on satellite-based VIC Less than secondary atn services. But it is a concern, particularly for people on ACT 14– 24 Above national average 25– 34 fixed lower incomes, he says. Below national average 35– 49 “When governments are moving services online, and National average is 54.5 e we’re seeing health and education going online as well, TAS 50– 64 65 + then we really need to make sure affordability is not a Source: Roy Morgan Research, April 2015 - March 2016. serious impediment.” ta nsn ne sre Source: Roy Morgan Research, April 2015 - March 2016. Overall, Australia is doing pretty well. Access scores 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 have increased steadily, digital ability scores have also Australia average (54.5) ≥70,000 increased at a national level, and while affordability itself 40,000– 69,999 may have declined, the NvalueT of expenditure — the cost of 25,000– 39,999

data — has fallen. ne QLD 10,000– 24,999 But the index showed that digital exclusion follows WA 10,000 similar patterns to other forms of social and economic Full–time exclusion, says Robinson. “Where there is existing disad- Part–time vantage, these people are also not enjoying great online SA NSW None ent life and in a digital age it means there is a big risk of those Tertiary people falling further behind,” she says. Secondary

“This has an impact on their education,VIC health and Less than secondary atn wellbeing, and social connections. You could argue ACT 14– 24 Above national average that’s the very group that could benefit the most from 25– 34 Below national average 35– 49 being online.” e National average is 54.5 Wealth played a big part in digital inclusion,TAS as 50– 64 did full-time employment and education level. Indig- 65 +

enous Australians had a relatively low level of digital Source: Roy Morgan Research,Source: Roy April Morgan 2015 Research,- March 2016. April 2015 - March 2016. inclusion, which may even have been underestimat- The Digital Inclusion Index score assesses several variables related to access, affordability ed, due to the low numbers of remote indigenous and digital ability on a scale of 0 (low inclusion) to 100 (perfectly digitally included). communities surveyed. The first Australian Digital Inclusion Index report revealed hotspots of exclusion: Tasmania, the Hunter Val- impact of interventions designed to increase inclusion, ley, northwestern Queensland, Eyre in South Australia, Robinson says. and much of regional Western Australia. “The first report has provided us with a benchmark, There were also hotspots of inclusion: Wollongong but it helps policy-makers, it helps practitioners, it helps earned a digital inclusion score higher than that of some the people in libraries that are becoming digital hubs, capital cities. it helps businesses like Telstra that have support pro- So how can this data be used? As the first of at least grams, it helps us to better target our efforts,” she says. two more annual reports, it will provide a regular snap- “There are three million people not online in Aus- shot of the changing face of digital inclusion in Austral- tralia — that’s three million people who are behind the ia, which could be especially useful in monitoring the eight-ball, so it’s a significant social justice challenge.”

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 35 Features FINDING AA VVOICEO I C E OF REASON

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Research has shown the voices heard by people with schizophrenia may be thoughts perceived as sound. A new Swinburne study is trying to track down exactly where in the brain the signal goes awry.

ave you ever heard technology to study why some peo- This discovery was profound someone call your ple hear voices and what can be done for Rossell and her patients. “When name, then turned to help them manage it. we worked out that hearing voices to find no-one there? One insight from Rossell’s work was just a normal linguistic expe- H Maybe it’s happened is that voice-hearing appears to be rience, it was incredibly relieving once or twice, but you’ve dismissed it an abnormal experience of a very for the sufferers because we were and life has gone on as usual. normal human phenomenon — in- able to tell our patients that this is Imagine that this wasn’t an iso- ternal self-talk. “We all have internal part of normal language,” she says. lated occurrence. Imagine that voice dialogue but we can choose to listen “They really like it, because they’ve talks to you all the time, not just to our thoughts or not to listen to been told for years that their brain calling your name, but insulting you our thoughts,” Rossell says. is wrong.” and telling you to do unspeakable Her previous work has shown This discovery raised the ques- things. And, when you turn around, that this internal dialogue activates tion of why people with schizophre- there is no-one there. the same regions of the brain — the nia and other conditions aren’t able This is life for many people language processing centres — as to tune out the voices. with schizophrenia. As many when someone real is talking to us. To explore this, Rossell and her as 80 per cent of sufferers hear Most people are able to tune out this colleagues are combining conven- voices; sometimes sporadically, internal voice, along with all the oth- tional magnetic resonance imaging sometimes chronically. er extraneous auditory stimuli we are (MRI) and magnetoencephalography Auditory hallucinations also af- constantly exposed to, such as traffic (MEG), a new imaging technique. fect people with bipolar disorder, de- noise, birds, and other conversations. MEG shows the magnetic patterns pression, borderline personality dis- But, this ‘attention inhibition’ produced by the brain’s electrical order, and even people with no other switch is what Rossell thinks might activity, in very fine detail and in manifestations of mental illness. be malfunctioning in conditions real-time, while the MRI will enable The causes of auditory hallucina- such as schizophrenia. researchers to look at the brain tions have occupied Professor Susan “We think people who hear voic- structures activated when people Rossell for more than two decades. es are not able to correctly filter out hear voices. A cognitive neuropsychologist at the noise in the world around them Patients sit in the MEG scanner Swinburne University of Technology, and included in that noise is their and are given a button to push when-

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 37 Features

Susan Rossell has spent more than two decades using powerful brain imaging technology to study why some people hear voices and how to help them.

causing the voice,” Rossell says. a type of memory, referred to as Often the voice “This experiment is trying to study source memory,” she says. “It’s quite a these attention inhibition networks comprehensive picture but it’s no way is that of the just before the voice experience near complete.” to see if there is an area of the For many people who experi- perpetrator of prior brain that is activated incorrectly, ence voice-hearing, it’s an intensely because nobody’s been able to look persecutory experience, which emotional, physical at that before.” seems to stem from prior emotional, Data analysis will begin when the physical or sexual trauma, and often or sexual trauma. study finishes early in 2017. the voice is that of a perpetrator. At the same time, Rossell and The involvement of past trauma and colleagues are conducting other association with stress may explain time voice-hearing has been studies to better understand who is why the phenomenon is significantly studied like this, and is made affected by voice-hearing and what more common among immigrants possible by Swinburne’s world-class some of the triggers might be for and refugees. neuroimaging facility. the phenomenon. Clinical psychologist, Associate “What we’re doing for the first “We’ve got a good idea of some Professor Neil Thomas from Swin- time is looking at the 20 seconds of the triggers of voice-hearing expe- burne, says he is often astounded at before the voice-hearing experience rience; things like previous stressors, how well people who hear voices are to explore what brain mechanisms developmental issues, problems with able to function, given how distract- are involved in the trigger and auditory processing, problems with ing the experience must be.

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“For many people “Not only is it hearing someone a practice derived from Buddhist talking which seems as real and as meditation, which encourages a it can be helpful loud as I’m talking now, but also focus of awareness and conscious- the voices are talking directly to the ness on the present state. to work out that person or about them, so it’s got “The person who experiences the the voices aren’t this other layer in which it can re- voices can program coping advice for ally capture the person’s attention,” themselves into the phone,” Thomas actually able to says Thomas. He and colleagues says. “So when they’re in the situa- have been working on ways to help tion where they are hearing voices, harm them.” people who experience voice-hear- they can look at the phone and it can ing to better understand the trig- give them advice and prompt them gers for the experience. with reminders throughout the day While Rossell is using neuro- to do things that might be helpful in work has identified a group of people imaging to look at what happens reducing the intensity of voices.” with no other signs of mental illness, inside the brain just before the This approach has the advantage but who also experience voices at a onset of voices, Thomas is working of providing help to people who similar intensity to people who do. with PhD student, Imogen Bell, might not be able to access the kind have other manifestations. using smartphones to look at what of specialist services provided by What’s striking about the former might be happening outside the Thomas and Rossell’s clinic, which is group is that their voice-hearing is brain at that same moment. one of the few in the world specif- often a positive experience.

© Eamon Gallagher Individuals who experience ically focusing on auditory hallu- “Some people describe them as voice-hearing can use an app on cinations. Thomas has also found like their guardian angel,” Rossell their smartphone to record the that peer support from others who says. “It’s a voice that helps them noise around them when the inter- experience hearing voices can help make decisions, guides them, or nal voices get more intense so that people cope with these episodes. gives them good advice.” researchers can gather clues about Historically, voice-hearing what else might be going on around UNDERSTANDING THE has not necessarily been viewed them at the same time. EXPERIENCE as a negative phenomenon, but “There are usually patterns Drug treatment is available for disor- perhaps a sign of divinity — as for identifiable when voices occur,” says ders such as schizophrenia, and for Joan of Arc — or inspiration — as Thomas. “It might be when people some patients, it can make the voices for Charles Dickens and Socrates. are experiencing more stress, it might go away. But, Rossell and Thomas’s These past perceptions rein- be when things are really noisy, it work is unique in helping patients to force the notion that this is not the might be when people are particu- understand their own experiences. manifestation of a broken mind, but larly fatigued, so the first thing we’re “Many of the people that we work variations on a wide spectrum of doing is helping people to track with don’t understand what’s causing experiences, Thomas says. patterns.” Alcohol and substance the voices or are very confused by “We’re shifting our understand- abuse are also known triggers for the experience,” Thomas says. “For ing of this from being a symptom voice-hearing. them it can be helpful to work out of illness to something which is a They’re also using smartphones that the voices aren’t actually able to human phenomenon,” he adds. to find more effective coping harm them.” As their research advances, the strategies for voice-hearing. One It is also revealing that these voices are likely to be better under- approach being studied is based voices are an experience common stood, and more manageable than on the principles of mindfulness; to the human condition. Rossell’s ever before.

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 39 Features

The quest for commercial quantum computing has taken a leap forward with the advent of a quantum chip that can generate many entangled photons and is compatible with existing semiconductor fabrication processes HIGH- STAKES CHIPS

uantum physics is unlike everyday activities such as secure online dotti from the INRS (Institut national de la anything in our everyday communications, as well as their much tout- recherche scientifique) in Canada, Moss and experience. It allows an ed use in the supercomputers of the future. his team at Swinburne have demonstrated object to somehow exist in Professor David Moss, Director of a computer chip that overcomes two of the Q all of its possible states at the Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre most challenging obstacles to commercial same time, and ‘quantum-en- for Micro-Photonics in Melbourne, has been realisation of quantum technology — gen- tangled’ objects seemingly communicate using light for more than a decade to develop erating a continuous high-volume supply instantly at any distance. It is a relief that we better devices for data communications and of quantum particles, and producing the don’t need to contemplate such contortions processing, and his research has now taken device using conventional mass-fabrica- of predictable reality in our daily lives, but him to the leading edge of quantum technol- tion techniques. we are fast approaching an era in which ogy. In collaboration with colleagues from “Our device represents an unprecedented these exotic quantum effects could be driving around the world, including Roberto Moran- leap in the quality, sophistication and sheer © Eamon Gallagher

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DAVID MOSS “We have a whole bag of tricks that we are planning to use to tame and enhance these microcombs.” © Eamon Gallagher

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number of quantum entangled through fibre optic networks and “The race is on photon pairs that can be generated even free space. on an integrated chip,” says Moss, “Photonic systems are also to devise and “and we did it using a chip that is much less sensitive to environmen- compatible with conventional inte- tal noise — even at room tempera- construct grated circuit fabrication methods.” ture — compared with strategies a quantum based on electrons or atoms DIFFERENT QUANTUM that require ultra-low tem- device that can STROKES peratures. This has been an In quantum physics, objects are de- extreme challenge for the solid out-compute scribed not by classical properties, state folks,” says Moss. such as where they are and how Another key advantage today’s solid- fast they’re moving, but by a quan- of using light is that it can tum equation full of uncertain- be applied in ways that mirror state silicon ties with profound metaphysical conventional electronics, but with connotations. These uncertainties the promise of so much more. The supercomputers.” resolve themselves at the macro- study of light is a research area scopic scale, giving rise to classical, that has expanded phenomenally predictable physical behaviour. this century and has given rise to ENTANGLEMENT VS At the subatomic scale, however, some remarkable new technologies SUPERPOSITION seemingly bizarre phenomena including lasers, better optical fibre become apparent. Two such exotic systems and photovoltaics, night Wave-like particles of light, known as photons, can behave in quantum manifestations are envision, and even ‘invisibility cloaks’. a peculiar manner known as ‘entanglement’. By running them tanglement and superposition (see through crystals and laser equipment, the photons’ properties Entanglement vs superposition), FROM PHOTONICS TO become correlated or entangled. If they are then despatched and both have their potential uses QUANTUM SUPREMACY in different directions, quantum physics dictates that when we in quantum technologies. The idea behind quantum comput- measure a property on one of the entangled photons, we can be These effects can now be reli- ing has been around for almost half sure that the same property of the other is correlated. ably generated in atoms, electrons a century, but getting to a point The paradox that flustered even Einstein is that the result differs (particles of electric charge) and where quantum effects can actually depending on which property is measured, and the measurement photons (wave-like particles of be created experimentally has of one photon appears to change the properties of the other. light), so researchers have a rich taken a long time. Physicists believe that this arises because once entangled, the choice for the quantum effect they Now that materials physics and pair of photons becomes governed by a single quantum equation, want to harness, and the platform photonics have caught up, the race is with both existing in a linked but fuzzy, unresolved quantum state with which to do so. on to devise and construct a quan- of all possible properties — quantum superposition — until one “The details of quantum entan- tum device that can out-compute is measured and the uncertain state collapses into two separate glement for example — generating today’s solid-state silicon supercom- but correlated states. Entangled states are the basis of many it and using it — differ depending puters (see Quantum computers). protocols and algorithms for both quantum communications on whether one uses electrons or “Many researchers believe that and computation. Superposition, without entanglement, can photons,” explains Moss. He says the goal of quantum supremacy also be used on its own for quantum computing, where the they focused on photons because — performing a function that is fuzzy superposition of quantum states is used to perform recent advances have enabled the beyond the capability of classical many calculations simultaneously — akin to reading all pages generation of entangled and single computers — will be achieved of a book at once. Rather than the binary on-or-off bits in photons on a chip. This gives rise using photonics rather than conventional computing, the ‘qubits’ of quantum computers can to the possibility of transmitting solid-state approaches,” says Moss. be in the on and off states. Theoretically, an array of many qubits quantum states encoded in pho- “Realising quantum functions could greatly accelerate simulations, allowing rapid calculation of tons that will act as the ones and on photonic integrated chips or problems that take years using supercomputers. zeros of conventional computing circuits will be critical to mov-

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QUANTUM COMPUTERS A conventional computer works by registering which of the millions of transistors in its central processing unit are switched on or off at any one time. These two simple states — on or off — are the ones and zeros of digital computing. Your computer seamlessly and instantly processes millions of these instructions every second to recreate images, download text and perform calculations. But imagine if your computer understood on, off and an untold number of Quantum computers could combinations of those states. This outcompete today’s is the goal of quantum computing: supercomputers. using the mind-bending world of quantum physics to process masses of information instantly.

ing quantum technologies out They were pioneers in the tion, and a truly international page 44). Optical combs are ideal of the laboratory and into the field of nonlinear integrated one with many people being photon sources for quantum real world.” optical devices that are compat- critical to its success, including applications because the comb Recreating the mirrors, beam ible with electronic chips. These some very brilliant students naturally produces photon pairs splitters, phase shifters and other are considered to be essential and post-docs, many of at precise frequencies or colours complicated laboratory equip- components if the promise whom have remained part of the on an optical grid. Creating an ment used to create even a single of quantum computing is to collaboration after becoming optical comb, though, is much entangled pair of photons, how- be realised. “At that time, it had professors in their own right.” harder than it sounds, and up ever, is far from straightforward. become apparent that silicon it- until recently could only be “This project began more self had fundamental limitations THE SECRET: achieved using very expensive than ten years ago when I started for classical nonlinear optics. OPTICAL COMBS and elaborate laboratory-scale a collaboration with Brent Little This motivated us to explore Moss’s device utilises what is laser systems. and Morandotti on nonlinear a new platform for integrated known as an optical frequency “In 2007, however, a new devices for optical signal pro- nonlinear optics, and we focused comb — an optical configuration mechanism for generating optical cessing,” says Moss. He says they on one that was being developed that produces a regular series of frequency combs using exotic mi- started to move away from sili- by Little for linear applications, extremely precise and equal- cro-resonators was reported, and con but they still wanted to focus and the rest is history. ly spaced ‘colours’ or optical with my collaborators in Canada on devices that were compatible “It has been a tremen- lines, like the notes on a piano we developed an integrated version

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 43 Features

If you wanted to measure the frequency of light with precision, you’d need a very OPTICAL good measuring device. That’s what optical frequency combs do. Like their quotidian FREQUENCY namesakes, optical frequency combs consist of equally spaced ‘teeth’. But in these combs, the teeth are beams of light that span a visible or infrared optical spectrum, COMBS each tooth a slightly different colour — or frequency — from its neighbour. Generated by extremely stable, ultrafast lasers, optical frequency combs typically have hundreds or even thousands of teeth. The spacing between the teeth is exact so the combs can be used for measuring the frequency of light emitted by things like lasers, atoms or stars with extreme precision. They are also the core technology behind ultraprecise optical atomic clocks. John L. Hall and Theodor W. Hänsch were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2005 for their contributions to the development of the optical frequency combs.

Optical frequency combs produce a series of frequency spikes (multicoloured lines) that can be used to measure or synthesize any optical frequency with extreme precision. “The level of sophistication of quantum computing increases dramatically with the level of entanglement one can achieve.”

then, the field of mi- A PLATFORM FOR BIGGER THINGS crocombs has exploded, “There are many top research groups and we are on the cusp around the world that are now working © David Moss of being able to create on integrated microcomb sources for classical optical frequency comb applications, but I believe we are leading the world sources in devices the size in applications of microresonators to quantum of a postage stamp.” optics,” Moss says. Not only is Moss’s “We have achieved some of the best results device a natural quantum in the world with our platform and our goal is entangler, but they believe it to remain in the lead by increasing the per- can entangle more than one pair of formance of our devices. We believe they are photons at once. Also known as cluster states, capable of much more than what we’ve achieved multiple entanglement is one of the grand goals of with them so far.” quantum technology as it would make it possible With his team at Swinburne, Moss is de- to harness a much larger slice of the enormous veloping an in-house fabrication facility for potential of quantum computing. producing very high-performance nonlinear “The level of sophistication of quantum optical microresonators, and in the future for Optical frequency combs, which are an ideal source of photons computing increases dramatically with the level of fabricating complex photonic circuits with many for quantum computing, could be entanglement one can achieve,” says Moss. “This additional optical elements including switches fabricated in devices as small as a one-dollar coin. platform is capable of generating four-photon and modulators. correlated states and this represents an important “We have a whole bag of tricks to use to tame step in this direction as a possible source of pho- and enhance these microcombs,” says Moss. “We

The study of ancient galaxies and star formation suddenly became a

The spiral galaxy whole lot easier when Messier 104, known as the Swinburne astronomer Sombrero and located 50 million Professor Karl Glazebrook light years away, is a subject of interest for stumbled across some

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“The living fossil galaxies are lumpy and full of gas, and relatively nearby, making studying the Universe presents them, try to them quite easy. connect the dots and come up with are forming stars at “We set out to make a control a coherent story of how ancient sample of local galaxies to com- fossil galaxies evolved into what we a high rate, not like pare with the ancient ones, and see today. most of the massive discovered local ones that looked like But astronomical palaeontol- the ancient ones,” says Glazebrook, ogists have numbers on their side. galaxies today that from the Swinburne Centre for As- Unlike their terrestrial counterparts trophysics and Supercomputing. who have to piece together evolu- are quiescent.” “The living fossil galaxies are tionary family trees from a couple lumpy and full of gas, and are form- of teeth and a hipbone, Glazebrook’s rofessor Karl Gla- ing stars at a high rate, not like most data set is all the visible galaxies zebrook is a kind of of the massive galaxies today that in the Universe, numbering in the cosmic palaeontolo- are quiescent.” billions. The astronomer’s challenge gist. He searches for Nearly a decade later Glaze- is selecting the set of matching gal- P ancient galaxies that brook has built up a research pow- axies that go together to tell a story. offer clues about how our galaxy erhouse that is transforming our Sifting through all the nearby ended up the way it is. understanding of the early Universe galaxies, Green and Glazebrook came His quest changed suddenly with a swathe of studies using the up with a set of 96 that look like they in 2008 when he, and his student best telescopes from around the belonged in a very different time, Andy Green, stumbled across the world and, of course, the Hubble when the Universe was expanding Karl Glazebrook collaborates with a galactic equivalent of living fossils telescope in space. rapidly and many stars-to-be were global network of the — galaxies that looked identical The challenge for astronomers still clouds of swirling hydrogen gas. best radio telescopes in space and on to ancient ones, but were alive and is that they can’t run experiments, Astronomers had seen many the ground. flourishing. Best of all, they were they are only able to observe what of these swirling, irregular-shaped

Gemini North Observatory Mauna Kea, Hawaii Plateau de Bure Observatory Hubble Space Hautes-Alpes, France Telescope

W. M. eck Observatory Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Atacama Large Gemini South Observatory Millimeter submillimeter Cerro Pachón, Chile Array (ALMA) Atacama Desert, Chile Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing Hawthorn, Australia

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The disc-shaped galaxy NGC 4762 in the constellation Virgo about 65 million light years away. Ancient clumpy galaxies could have evolved into similar thick disk components of modern galaxies.

galaxies as they peered into the furthest optical spectra from the best telescopes reaches of the Universe. Travelling a on the ground, Keck in Hawaii, and the distance of ten billion light years, the twin Gemini telescopes in Hawaii and light from these galaxies had been en Chile. The DYNAMO team has also used route to Earth for three quarters of the a radio telescope array in France’s Plateau life of the Universe. At that distance even de Bure and is rounding out the picture the largest of these galaxies appears as a with the most powerful radio telescope tiny blur, only a couple of pixels across, array, ALMA in South America (see making it almost impossible to get much A global space network, and Tinkered detail about their gas swirls and star twinkle, page 49). “In DYNAMO most of SEEING RED formation processes. the things we do are new, trying different Imagine Glazebrook’s delight when sorts of observations,” says one of the Just as sound from a plane moving towards us seems he found nearby galaxies with swirling newest recruits to the Swinburne team, higher, then drops to a lower frequency as the aircraft gas and glittering young stars. Dr Paola Oliva-Altamirano. “Karl has passes and moves away, H-alpha radiation from “They’re rare,” he says. “But we can new ideas every second,” she says. hydrogen gas moving towards us appears shifted to the resolve them ten times better and do Leaving her native Honduras for a blue. Gas moving away from us gives a spectral line tests you just can’t do with the dis- research internship in California, Oli- shifted to the red. And, if the gas is a turbulent mixture tant galaxies.” va-Altamirano developed a fascination swirling in all directions, the spectral line is also a This was the birth of the DYNAMO for the life and death of galaxies. A spirit mixture of frequencies shifted in both directions from study, (DYnamics of Newly-Assembled of adventure drew her to Australia and, the original — in other words the range of observed Massive Objects), which combines imag- ultimately, Glazebrook’s quest for galactic frequencies is broader.

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“We don’t know what sustains the turbulence in the galaxies, it should die out in about 10 to 20 million years.”

interesting galaxies. We get scenes we would never see, and make presumptions about the past.” The DYNAMO study began with measurements of red light emitted by hot hydrogen gas, a giveaway that stars are forming. Known as H-alpha, this spectral line’s frequency changes if the gas emitting it is moving, as a result of the Doppler effect (see Seeing red, page 47).

A strong H-alpha line is exactly what had been (HST) Survey © Dynamics of Newly-Assembled Massive Objects (DYNAMO)-Hubble Space Telescope found in the ancient galaxies that so intrigued Gla- Clumpy galaxies observed by the DYNAMO study (DYnamics of Newly-Assembled zebrook. In the old galaxies the line was broad, too, Massive Objects), which could be what showing that the gas clouds were moving at up to galaxies looked like 10 billion years ago. 100 kilometres per second, around five times the typical value for current galaxies. Inside these turbulent galaxies, stars are forming Glazebrook and his team analysed the gas speeds ten times faster than they are in the Milky Way, but in the nearby galaxies in detail and were able to solve from the faint images of galaxies, more than ten billion the mystery of the clumpiness. Astronomers had spec- light years away, it was impossible to tell how the ulated that the high gas content of the galaxies con- star-formation rate was related to the turbulence. tributed to the clumpy structure, but the DYNAMO But, as Glazebrook assembled his collection of surveys were able to rule that out, instead finding that nearby fossil galaxies, and realised they had similar star the cause was more likely to be the low spin of the formation rates and turbulent gases to their ancient whole galaxy. counterparts, as well as unusually low spin for a mod- “Ten years ago we had no idea why galaxies were ern galaxy, suddenly it seemed a more detailed picture the lumpy shapes they are,” he says. “We now have a of galactic dynamics in the early Universe might be beautiful picture connecting galactic dynamics, the within reach. temperature of the gas and the gas content; it’s a very simple equation.” LUMPY GALAXIES DYNAMO’s insights could provide answers to The living fossils passed another test too. The images some of the biggest puzzles facing galactic astronomers of the ancient galaxies beamed down from the Hubble at the moment about how young swirling galaxies Space Telescope showed clumpy structure, rather become the stagnant, burnt-out galaxies that are com- than the typical smooth, rotund galaxies close by. mon today, says Richard Ellis, Professor of Astrophys- Sure enough, DYNAMO’s selection of nearby galaxies ics at University College London. also had clumpy structure. Now the work could begin “The physical processes are complex and require analysing these weird galaxies for insights into the detailed information of the motions and chemical Universe 10 billion years ago. composition of gas clouds — the fuel for forming stars.

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TINKERED TWINKLE

“DYNAMO is addressing this That such deep insights into the fundamental problem by studying the history of the Universe could have internal properties of a wide range of come from the accidental discovery star-forming galaxies. Such a com- of nearby clumpy galaxies still amazes prehensive approach involving sev- Glazebrook. eral international observing facilities “It’s been an unexpected journey promises major progress in addressing down a rabbit-hole, this last eight years,” how galaxies grew in the expanding Glazebrook says. Universe,” Ellis says. He and his team are delving deeper Behind it all, Glazebrook believes into the DYNAMO treasure chest. They they have gleaned a broader insight into have been awarded valuable time on the evolution of the cosmos, which comes the Atacama Largest Millimetre Array © Jose A. Bernat Bacete/Moment/Getty © Dynamics of Newly-Assembled Massive Objects (DYNAMO)-Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Survey © Dynamics of Newly-Assembled Massive Objects (DYNAMO)-Hubble Space Telescope from the rotation of the galaxies. The (ALMA) in Chile, an array of 66 radio ancient galaxies are rotating more slowly telescopes that make up the world’s The romantic twinkle of stars in the night sky is the — they have lower angular momentum — prime sub-millimetre wave radio as- bane of an astronomer’s life. Like the heat haze above than typical local galaxies. tronomy facility. Their target is another the toaster, it is caused by turbulence in the Earth’s This poses a question: how could local piece of the galactic gas jigsaw puzzle atmosphere as hot and cold air mixes together. galaxies have gained angular momen- — cold molecular gas in the DYNAMO Astronomers build telescopes in places where there is tum? Unlike a ballet dancer who speeds fossil galaxies, the fuel for intense less turbulence — on the mountaintops of Hawaii, the up a pirouette by pushing off the floor, star formation. high Chilean desert, Antarctica — but the best spot galaxies floating in space have nothing to As with the Doppler shifting of the of all is above the atmosphere, in space. The Hubble push against. hot hydrogen gas, turbulence in the Space telescope has shown that by providing 20 years Some theories had proposed the cold gas will be detectable as shifts in of stunning images of distant objects, including clumpy reason current galaxies like the Milky the frequency of the molecules, which galaxies ten billion light years away. Way have higher angular momentum naturally emit at 115 GHz. The best telescopes on the ground, the 10-metre Keck was linked to their lower gas turbulence The ALMA study should see results in Hawaii, and the twin 8.9-metre Gemini telescopes than is found in ancient galaxies. early in 2017, and Glazebrook hopes to in Hawaii and Chile have the advantage of being much But Glazebrook believes the answer secure a better understanding of what bigger than Hubble’s modest 2.4 metres, so they can is simpler and stems from cosmic drives the turbulence. detect fainter objects. They also have mirrors that expansion. As the Universe expands, its “We don’t know what sustains the constantly bend slightly to compensate for atmospheric angular momentum increases. Younger turbulence in the galaxies, it should die turbulence, effectively de-twinkling stars, a technology galaxies formed at a time of higher out in about 10 to 20 million years,” called adaptive optics. angular momentum and carry that he says. The other advantage they have over Hubble is they angular momentum for the rest of “We don’t know why they still exist have the ability to break each pixel in the telescope their lives. nearby. My speculation — unproven — images up into a readout of its wavelength, a technique “This result suggests that spin is is that they arise via an unusual process, called integral field spectroscopy. fundamental to explaining why early and they live in rare environments, These detailed spectral maps of galaxies give galaxies are gas-rich and lumpy while similar to the early Universe.” astronomers like Karl Glazebrook the ability to trace modern galaxies display beautiful sym- Proving it, perhaps, will be Glaze- where hot hydrogen is forming stars, and through the metric patterns,” says Glazebrook. brook’s next rabbit hole. Doppler effect, how turbulent the stars are.

research.swinburne.edu.au Research Impact 49 Swinburne Innovation Precinct

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