$8m ARC funding in research infrastructure for ANU

The Australian National University (ANU) has received more than $8 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grants.

Six projects led by ANU researchers - four from the College of Science (CoS) and two from the College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics (CECC) ­- have been successful in the latest LIEF funding round.

The LIEF scheme enables researchers to undertake basic and applied research and training, as well as providing funding for the acquisition of key research equipment and infrastructure.

ANU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Professor Keith Nugent, warmly congratulated the University's LIEF recipients.

"This is an outstanding result and a clear representation of the talent of our researchers at the ANU," he said. 

"We have had a phenomenal year for LIEF results. Out of 10 applications submitted by the ANU, six were successful at a 60 per cent success rate. The ANU also scored the second highest average awarded amount per successful application nationally.

"This funding will go towards building important collaborative relationships with other research institutions and supporting research infrastructure costs."

The ARC Chief Executive Officer, Ms Judi Zielke, said the LIEF Scheme prioritises collaboration and cooperative initiatives to allow Australian researchers access to expensive facilities nationally and internationally.

"This funding ensures Australian scientists have access to world-class infrastructure to support their cutting-edge research across a wide range of disciplines," Ms Zielke said.

The successful ANU LIEF awards for 2023:

·      Professor Yuerui Lu (ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics): Cryogenic Near-Field Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility at the 10-nm-Scale, $970,000.

·      Dr Elizabeth Ratnam (ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics): National Facility for Electricity Grid Security and Resilience Research, $400,000.

·      Professor Yun Liu (ANU College of Science): A cryogenic multifunctional multiscale material characterisation facility, $909,754.

·      Associate Professor Christopher Lidman (ANU College of Science): Expanded Horizons for the Anglo-Australian Telescope, $758,689.

·      Associate Professor Christopher Lidman (ANU College of Science): Explosive Astrophysics from Siding Spring Observatory, $595,295.

·      Professor Eelco Rohling (ANU College of Science): Australian Membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program 2023-24, $4,378,196.

Visit the ARC website for more information