Monash engineers awarded three DECRA grants for 2020

Three Monash Engineering researchers have been successful in obtaining highly-competitive ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA) for 2020, in the results announced on Friday.

Awarded with a total of $1.2 million, our researchers will now pursue new developments in AI-based control methods for flow-induced vibrations in structures, better prediction of fractures in geomaterials such as rock, soil and concrete, and fabricate a new class of 2D plasmonic nanomaterials.

Our 2020 DECRA researchers are:

Dr Jisheng Zhao - Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Project: Intelligent active control of flow-induced vibration.

This project aims to develop advanced and effective control methods using an innovative interdisciplinary approach for flow-induced vibration for a wide range of generic elements of engineering structures. This project expects to generate new scientific knowledge of fluid-structure interaction that is essential for the prediction and control of flow-induced vibration. The expected outcomes of this project are artificial intelligence based active control methods for flow-induced vibration. Ultimately, this project should provide significant benefits, such as advances in scientific knowledge and improved technologies for the areas of energy, transport, buildings and infrastructure.

Dr Qianbing Zhang - Department of Civil Engineering

Project: Dynamic Fracturing and Energy Release Mechanisms in Heterogeneous Materials.

The prediction of fracturing behaviour in geomaterials (i.e. rock, soil and concrete) under dynamic/impact loads is essential in dealing with a wide range of engineering problems including excavation and mining, blasting and fragmentation, earthquake engineering, impact cratering, and protective structure design However, current knowledge and modelling capabilities of these applications remains empirically based. This project aims to investigate fundamental issues governing the dynamic fracturing of geomaterials and apply this knowledge to advance the understanding and modelling capacity of dynamic fractures in geomaterials.

Dr Qianqian Shi - Department of Chemical Engineering

Project - 2D Janus Nanoparticle Superlattice Sheets.

The project aims to fabricate novel 2D free-standing Janus superlattices by developing a new ligand-symmetry breaking strategy. The proposed approach expects to generate new knowledge in the area of self-assembly and the new class of 2D plasmonic nanomaterials. Expected outcomes of this project include the fabrication of a series of 2D Janus superlattices that are difficult or impossible to achieve in traditional methods, investigate their functional-properties relationship and further apply them into dual-functional plasmonic-catalyst/sensor/filtration applications. This should provide significant benefits, such as developing new design principles for self-assembly and advance Australian expertise in the field of functional nanomaterials

The Faculty extends a very warm congratulations to Dr Jisheng Zhao, Dr Qianbing Zhang, Dr Qianqian Shi on their success and looks forward to the research outcomes they will execute as part of their projects.

Read more about Monash University's 22 overall DECRA awards.