The Australian Research Council’s Linkage Projects scheme has awarded close to $1 million in funding to research projects led by the University of Wollongong.

The ARC Linkage Projects scheme grants are designed to bring university researchers together with industry partners to undertake research collaborations that will benefit the Australian community.

“Our investment in research supports the development of long-term strategic research collaborations between university researchers and businesses, industry and community organisations to find solutions to problems and improve the lives of Australians,” says Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan.

UOW deputy vice-chancellor of research and innovation Professor Jennifer L Martin AC welcomed the announcement and congratulated the successful researchers.

“Each of these projects is a great example of UOW researchers working directly with industry and community partners to find practical solutions to complex, real-world problems,” she says.

Professor Haiping Du, from UOW’s School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering, was awarded $337,578 for his project, Innovative Magnetorheological Powertrains for Electric Heavy-Duty Vehicles.

“A new era of high-efficiency electric powertrains could potentially be launched through the development of these novel technologies,” Professor Du says.

The project aims to explore innovative powertrains to maximise driving range, reduce power consumption and enhance the dynamic performance of electrified vehicles.

“The proposed powertrains are expected to achieve seamless gear changing for driving and better braking performance, and therefore significantly improve vehicle dynamics and economic performance,” he says.

The project partners are Xiamen Golden Dragon Automobile Electronic Company, M&S Engineering, and University of Waterloo, Canada.

Professor Willy Susilo, head of UOW’s School of Computing and Information Technology, received $199,857 for his project Enabling Anonymity and Privacy for Blockchain Technology in a Quantum World.

“Australia is home to many leading blockchain initiatives, including industry-specific trials for solutions in energy, agriculture and the public sector. However, blockchain applications are vulnerable to quantum computer attacks,” Professor Susilo says.

The technologies developed by the project will benefit Australian cybersecurity research since they will enable anonymity and privacy protection of users in many online activities.

UOW’s industry partners on this project are KDDI Research and Tide Foundation.

A further $442,364 was awarded to Professor Jo Spangaro from UOW’s School of Health and Society for her project, Screening and responding to domestic violence experienced by refugee women.