Selected from a shortlist of more than 1000 applications nationally, 11 Macquarie University-led projects, spanning all four faculties, have been awarded a total of $7,023,736. The successful projects seek to address a range of modern challenges, including banking privacy, aged-care standards, workplace diversity, sustainable electronics and demystifying our universe.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Sakkie Pretorius, said: “The Discovery Projects scheme supports innovative research that improves the world we live in and our understanding of it.
“These 11 projects led by Macquarie University researchers are an exemplary example of the impactful work that takes place on our campus.
“My congratulations to all of our successful researchers, including those Chief Investigators from Macquarie working on externally led successful projects.”
The Discovery Project scheme aims to support research that tackles a significant problem or gap in knowledge. The 2025 Discovery Projects scheme awarded 536 projects nationally, for a funding total of more than $342 million.
Macquarie University’s new Discovery Projects are:
'No' to Black Box: Towards transparent and safe AI in healthcare
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Associate Professor Rita Matulionyte (Lead), Professor Farah Magrabi, Professor Amin Beheshti
Funding awarded: $532,363
Consumer experiences and preferences for aged care through citizen science
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Associate Professor Magdalena Raban (Lead), Professor Johanna Westbrook, Associate Professor Annie Lau, Dr Amy Nguyen
Funding awarded: $534,527
What does ‘doing diversity’ do, and how can it be done differently?
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Professor Bronwyn Carlson (Lead)
Funding awarded: $683,324
Consumer data privacy risk analysis and management in the open banking era
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Professor Tom Smith (Lead), Associate Professor Yin Liao, Associate Professor Di Bu, Dr Natasha Fernandes, Professor Niloufer Selvadurai
Funding awarded: $328,469
Generative AI and creative industries: Ethical, legal and work implications
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Professor Paul Formosa (Lead), Associate Professor Rita Matulionyte, Associate Professor Sarah Bankins, Dr Raphaël Millière
Funding awarded: $480,554
Bending spines for next generation spectroscopic survey telescopes
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Professor Jonathan Lawrence (Lead)
Funding awarded: $765,837
Multi-point maximum principles, integrability profiles and smoothing
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Dr Paul Bryan (Lead)
Funding awarded: $594,228
Innovative microwave processing for sustainable semiconductor fabrication
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Professor Shujuan Huang (Lead), Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil
Funding awarded: $594,127
Neural basis of spatial navigation in three-dimensional environments
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Associate Professor Ajay Narendra (Lead), Professor Marie Herberstein
Funding awarded: $1,282,104
Detecting visual stimuli from mobile versus static perspectives
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Associate Professor Darrell Kemp (Lead)
Funding awarded: $647,816
Stand-alone zero-gap photoelectrochemical electrolyser for ammonia synthesis
Macquarie University Chief Investigator/s: Professor Yijiao Jiang (Lead), Dr Doudou Zhang
Funding awarded: $580,387
