Selection Report: Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Selection Report for Funding Commencing in 2023
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Overview
The Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities scheme provides funding for research infrastructure, equipment and facilities to Eligible Organisations. It enables researchers to participate in cooperative initiatives so that expensive research infrastructure, equipment and facilities can be shared between higher education organisations and also with industry. The scheme also fosters collaboration through its support of the cooperative use of international or national research facilities.
The objectives of the Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities scheme are to:
- support excellent basic and applied research and research training through the acquisition of research equipment and infrastructure and access to national and international research facilities; and
- encourage Eligible Organisations to develop collaborative arrangements with other Eligible Organisations and/or Partner Organisations for the acquisition and use of research equipment and infrastructure or access to national and international facilities.
Selection Process
Applications for funding commencing in 2023 opened on 30 March 2022 and closed on
1 June 2022. Applications were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines outcomes from the selection process for that round.
These outcomes are based on advice from the ARC Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) which:
- assessed applications and reviewed assessments made by independent assessors
- reviewed applicants’ comments on assessors’ reports
- ranked each application relative to the others on the basis of the application, the assessors’ reports and applicants’ responses to those assessments
- assessed and recommended budgets;
and, advice from the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) Eligibility Committee which:
- considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the members of the ARC College of Experts or independent assessors
- where required, sought advice from the ARC’s Medical Research Advisory Group
- made recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible applications.
This report reflects the outcomes approved by the Minister. Unless otherwise specified, data presented in this report exclude withdrawn applications.
Assessment Criteria
All applications that meet the eligibility criteria for Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 were assessed and merit ranked using the following assessment criteria:
- Investigator(s)/Capability (20%)
Describe the:
- demonstrated record in these activities (for CIs and PIs who will manage the purchase, design, manufacture, installation, maintenance and coordination of access to the proposed research infrastructure); and
- relevance of the research infrastructure to the research capacity and planned activities of each CI and PI on the application and, where relevant, to the research groups represented on the application.
- Project quality and innovation (25%)
Describe the:
- aims and significance of the research that will be supported by LIEF funding;
- relevance of the proposed research infrastructure to the needs of ARC and other competitively funded research projects/programs;
- importance of equipment for the training of research students;
- enhancement of support for areas of existing and/or emerging research strength; and
- demonstrated national or international focus for large scale cooperative initiatives.
- Feasibility and strategic alignment (25%)
Describe the:
- extent to which the project represents value for money;
- feasibility of the plan to use the research infrastructure;
- relevance of the research to the strategic priorities of the organisations;
- evidence that each of the organisations is genuinely committed to, and prepared to collaborate in, the project;
- existing or planned strategic research alliances between the higher education organisation(s) and other organisation(s);
- effectiveness of cooperative arrangements for the management and sharing of the proposed research infrastructure, including arrangements for ongoing operational expenditure where applicable; and
- extent to which the project aligns with Australian Government priority areas.
If the project involves research infrastructure pertaining to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities describe:
- the strategies for enabling collaboration with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities (for example, dialogue/collaboration with an Indigenous cultural mentor);
- any existing or developing, supportive and high-quality research relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander research communities; and
- any personal affiliations with local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities that can facilitate the proposed research infrastructure.
- Benefit (10%)
Describe the:
- benefit of the proposed research infrastructure to the broader research community;
- capacity to contribute to Australian Government priority areas, such as the National Manufacturing Priorities; and
- where relevant, the extent to which the applicants have identified the freedom to operate in the Intellectual Property and patent landscape to enable future benefits to industry.
- Suitability/Need (20%)
Describe the:
- demonstrated needs from the researchers and/or research projects that they will utilise the proposed research infrastructure, including level of demand and likely measurable impact on the research program, including beyond the project activity period;
- availability of and access to similar research infrastructure at organisational, regional, national and/or international level;
- planned rate of use of the proposed research infrastructure, including proposed arrangements for broader access to individuals not named on the application;
- alignment of the planned use with other similar existing infrastructure within Australia and/or internationally; and
- special needs for regional or otherwise remote institutions.
Assessment process
The ARC assessment process for Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 involved 20 SAC members as a part of one multidisciplinary panel and was managed in the RMS. A total of 457 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC.
Funding levels and duration
The minimum level of funding provided by the ARC under Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 is $150,000 per annum and the maximum level of funding cannot exceed 75 per cent of the total direct cost of the eligible budget item(s). Funding is provided for up to one year; or, up to 5 years for leasing infrastructure, equipment or facilities, the construction of research infrastructure, or subscription or coordinated access to international facilities and major national facilities.
Summary of Outcomes
The ARC received a total of 133 applications for Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities for funding commencing in 2023. No applications were withdrawn.
The overall success rate for Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities for funding commencing in 2023 is 33.8 per cent.
Of the unsuccessful applications, 2 were found to not meet eligibility requirements.
A comparison of success rates and funding amounts is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Comparison of application numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for approved Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities applications from 2022 and 2023.
| Funding year | Applications considered | Applications approved | Success rate (%) | Requested funds over project life for all applications considered ($) | Requested funds over project life for approved applications ($) | Funds allocated over project life for approved applications*($) | Return rate for approved applications (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 138 | 46 | 33.3 | $127,970,814 | $34,910,236 | $32,611,772 | 93.4 |
| 2023 | 133 | 45 | 33.8 | $133,141,926 | $42,942,422 | $39,515,942 | 92.0 |
*May include indicative funds
Outcomes by discipline
A summary of outcomes by discipline is shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Application numbers, success rates and requested and allocated funds for approved Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 applications by discipline.
| Discipline* | Applications considered | Applications approved | Success rate (%) | Requested funds over project life for all applications considered ($) | Requested funds over project life for approved applications ($) | Funds allocated over project life for approved applications*($) | Return rate for approved applications (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSB | 25 | 9 | 36.0 | $23,351,774 | $7,889,912 | $6,934,622 | 87.9 |
| EIC | 61 | 18 | 29.5 | $61,015,852 | $16,798,404 | $14,926,964 | 88.9 |
| HCA | 5 | 3 | 60.0 | $2,509,173 | $1,050,017 | $1,006,589 | 95.9 |
| MPCE | 38 | 14 | 36.8 | $42,202,613 | $16,273,876 | $15,717,554 | 96.6 |
| SBE | 4 | 1 | 25.0 | $4,062,514 | $930,213 | $930,213 | 100.0 |
| Total | 133 | 45 | 33.8 | $133,141,926 | $42,942,422 | $39,515,942 | 92.0 |
* BSB – Biological Sciences and Biotechnology; EIC – Engineering, Information and Computing Sciences; HCA – Humanities and Creative Arts; MPCE – Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences; SBE – Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences
Outcomes by Science and Research Priorities
A summary of outcomes by Science and Research Priorities is shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Approved funding and success rate for Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 applications by Science and Research Priorities.
| Science and Research Priorities | Applications considered | Applications approved | Success rate (%) | Approved funds over project life ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced manufacturing | 66 | 19 | 28.8 | $17,756,107 |
| Cybersecurity | 5 | 2 | 40.0 | $760,000 |
| Energy | 14 | 8 | 57.1 | $7,515,204 |
| Environmental change | 6 | 2 | 33.3 | $1,218,450 |
| Food | 8 | 4 | 50.0 | $2,349,559 |
| Health | 8 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Resources | 5 | 2 | 40.0 | $4,771,677 |
| Soil and water | 2 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Transport | 1 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Unspecified | 18 | 8 | 44.4 | $5,144,945 |
| Total | 133 | 45 | 33.8 | $39,515,942 |
| Total within Science and Research Priorities | 115 | 37 | 32.2 | $34,370,997 |
| Percentage within Science and Research Priorities (%) | 86.5 | 82.2 | - | 87.0 |
Outcomes by Administering Organisation
A summary of outcomes by Administering Organisation is shown in Table 4.
Table 4. Number of applications and success rates for approved Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 applications by Administering Organisation.
|
Administering Organisation |
Applications considered |
Applications approved |
Success rate (%) |
Funds over project life for approved applications ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Australian Capital Territory |
10 |
6 |
60.0 |
$8,011,934 |
|
The Australian National University |
10 |
6 |
60.0 |
$8,011,934 |
|
New South Wales |
46 |
11 |
23.9 |
$8,040,780 |
|
Macquarie University |
3 |
1 |
33.3 |
$682,792 |
|
The University of New England |
1 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
The University of New South Wales |
10 |
2 |
20.0 |
$2,319,614 |
|
The University of Newcastle |
6 |
2 |
33.3 |
$866,024 |
|
The University of Sydney |
14 |
4 |
28.6 |
$2,266,686 |
|
University of Technology, Sydney |
3 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
University of Wollongong |
4 |
1 |
25.0 |
$440,145 |
|
Western Sydney University |
5 |
1 |
20.0 |
$1,465,519 |
|
Northern Territory |
2 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
Charles Darwin University |
2 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
Queensland |
20 |
8 |
40.0 |
$5,667,512 |
|
Griffith University |
4 |
1 |
25.0 |
$1,078,770 |
|
James Cook University |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
$234,438 |
|
Queensland University of Technology |
4 |
2 |
50.0 |
$1,417,979 |
|
The University of Queensland |
9 |
3 |
33.3 |
$2,440,825 |
|
University of Southern Queensland |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
$495,500 |
|
South Australia |
13 |
7 |
53.8 |
$9,471,848 |
|
Flinders University |
3 |
2 |
66.7 |
$1,007,250 |
|
The University of Adelaide |
9 |
5 |
55.6 |
$8,464,598 |
|
University of South Australia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
Tasmania |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
$682,749 |
|
University of Tasmania |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
$682,749 |
|
Victoria |
30 |
7 |
23.3 |
$5,178,878 |
|
Deakin University |
3 |
1 |
33.3 |
$731,584 |
|
Federation University Australia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
La Trobe University |
1 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
Monash University |
7 |
1 |
14.3 |
$984,000 |
|
RMIT University |
5 |
2 |
40.0 |
$1,303,081 |
|
Swinburne University of Technology |
3 |
0 |
0 |
- |
|
The University of Melbourne |
10 |
3 |
30.0 |
$2,160,213 |
|
Western Australia |
11 |
5 |
45.5 |
$2,462,241 |
|
Curtin University |
4 |
1 |
25.0 |
$783,000 |
|
The University of Western Australia |
7 |
4 |
57.1 |
$1,679,241 |
|
Total |
133 |
45 |
33.8 |
$39,515,942 |
Career age and gender
Of the 1409 Chief Investigators (CIs) in this round, 371 were female, 1037 were male and 1 chose not to specify their gender. The success rate for female and male and unspecified CIs in Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 is 37.7 per cent, 34.5 per cent and 0 per cent respectively.
Success rates of CIs by career age and gender in Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 are presented in Figure 1. CIs who did not provide gender information (0.1 per cent) and CIs who did not specify the date of completion of their PhD or who do not hold a PhD (0.6 per cent) are not represented in the figure below.
Figure 1. Participation and success rate of Chief Investigators (CIs) in Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 by gender and career age*
*Career age is calculated as years since PhD (or equivalent). The earliest PhD award date was used where there was more than one PhD.
Collaboration with Other Eligible Organisations, Partner Organisations and Other Organisations
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities applications are expected to develop collaborative arrangements with Other Eligible Organisations and/or Partner Organisations and Other Organisations.
A summary of success rates by number of Eligible Organisations is shown in Table 5.
Table 5. Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 application success rates by number of Eligible Organisations.
|
Number of Eligible Organisations* |
Number of applications considered |
Number of applications approved |
Success rate within band (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
5 |
2 |
40.0 |
|
2 |
17 |
3 |
17.6 |
|
3 |
27 |
13 |
48.1 |
|
4 |
24 |
8 |
33.3 |
|
5 |
26 |
7 |
26.9 |
|
6 |
9 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
7 |
17 |
6 |
35.3 |
|
8 |
4 |
1 |
25.0 |
|
9 |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
|
11 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
13 |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
|
Total |
133 |
45 |
33.8 |
* An application with only one Eligible Organisation (the Administering Organisation) may or may not include Partner Organisations and/or Other Organisations. There were no applications with 10 or 12 Eligible Organisations.
A summary of application success rates by number of collaborating organisations is shown in Table 6.
Table 6. Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 application success rates by number of collaborating organisations.
|
Number of collaborating organisations* |
Number of applications considered |
Number of applications approved |
Success rate within band (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
|
2 |
10 |
2 |
20.0 |
|
3 |
21 |
7 |
33.3 |
|
4 |
19 |
8 |
42.1 |
|
5 |
24 |
9 |
37.5 |
|
6 |
19 |
7 |
36.8 |
|
7 |
16 |
6 |
37.5 |
|
8 |
11 |
3 |
27.3 |
|
9 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
10 |
5 |
1 |
20.0 |
|
11 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
14 |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
|
24 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
133 |
45 |
33.8 |
* Collaborating organisations include the Administering Organisation, Other Eligible Organisations, Partner Organisations and Other Organisations. There were no applications with 12, 13, or 15-23 collaborating organisations.
International Collaboration
In the 133 applications considered, applicants foreshadowed 182 instances of collaboration with researchers in 33 overseas locations. Of the applications approved for funding, 20 foreshadowed 84 instances of collaboration with researchers in 26 overseas locations (Figure 2).
Figure 2. International collaborations by location in approved Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 applications*.
*The top 14 international collaboration locations are listed in Figure 1 and the remaining locations are grouped in the ‘Other’ category.
Leverage of ARC funding
On Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023 applications approved for funding, for every dollar funded by the ARC the proposed dollar contribution of the collaborating organisations listed on these applications is $0.98. The leverage of ARC funds for approved applications is shown in Table 7.
Table 7. Leverage of ARC funds for approved applications.
|
Number of applications approved |
Approved ARC funding |
Number of unique collaborating organisations* |
Incidence of involvement of collaborating organisations* |
Collaborating organisation* Cash and In-kind contribution |
Leverage (Collaborating organisation* contribution/ARC approved funding) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
45 |
$39,515,942 |
59 |
235 |
$38,806,601 |
$0.98 |
*Collaborating organisations include the Administering Organisation, Other Eligible Organisations, Partner Organisations and Other Organisations.
Summary of Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities applications approved for funding
A summary of the Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities applications approved for funding commencing in 2023, by Administering Organisation is outlined in Table 8. The application titles indicate the variety of equipment, infrastructure and facilities supported in this scheme round.
Table 8. Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities applications approved for funding commencing in 2023.
|
Applications approved for funding |
Administering Organisation |
Lead CI |
|---|---|---|
|
Hot Properties: Thermal Analysis Equipment for Western Australia |
Curtin University |
Buckley, Prof Craig |
|
Ultra-High Resolution 3D Printing of Micron-Sized Structures and Voids |
Deakin University |
Guijt, Prof Rosanne |
|
Coastal Bathymetry with Advanced Technologies (CoastBAT) |
Flinders University |
Miot da Silva, Dr Graziela |
|
Materials for Sustainability Analysis Facility |
Jia, Dr Zhongfan |
|
|
Enhancing Australian biodiscovery molecule generation, storage and access |
Griffith University |
Andrews, Prof Katherine |
|
Single cell sequencing facility at James Cook University |
James Cook University |
Miller, Prof David |
|
A multifaceted technology platform to enhance single cell genomics |
Macquarie University |
Paulsen, Prof Ian |
|
High-Precision Mass Spectrometry Imaging Facility |
Monash University |
Voelcker, Prof Nicolas |
|
Real-time mass spectrometry for advanced aerosol chemical characterisation |
Queensland University of Technology |
Miljevic, A/Prof Branka |
|
Versatile Physical Property Measurement System for South-East Queensland |
Shahbazi, Dr Mahboobeh |
|
|
Free Float or support free: a new generation metal 3D printing facility |
RMIT University |
Ma, Prof Qian |
|
Dual-comb Hyperspectral Imaging Facility |
Mitchell, Prof Arnan |
|
|
Expanded Horizons for the Anglo-Australian Telescope |
The Australian National University |
Lidman, A/Prof Christopher |
|
Explosive Astrophysics from Siding Spring Observatory |
Lidman, A/Prof Christopher |
|
|
A cryogenic multifunctional multiscale material characterisation facility |
Liu, Prof Yun |
|
|
Cryogenic Near-Field Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility at the 10-nm-Scale |
Lu, Prof Yuerui |
|
|
National Facility for Electricity Grid Security and Resilience Research |
Ratnam, Dr Elizabeth |
|
|
Australian Membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program 2023-24 |
Rohling, Prof Eelco |
|
|
Integrated facility for underground hydrogen storage research |
The University of Adelaide |
Bedrikovetski, Prof Pavel |
|
A customized surface chemistry study system in realistic working condition |
Guo, Prof Zaiping |
|
|
Enabling the future of the Australian collider physics program |
Jackson, Prof Paul |
|
|
Adaptive Optics for Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors |
Ottaway, Prof David |
|
|
A multi-environment phenotyping site for biotech plants |
Roy, A/Prof Stuart |
|
|
Whole-head optically-pumped room-temperature magnetoencephalography |
The University of Melbourne |
Garrido, A/Prof Marta |
|
Cryo correlative Focused Ion Beam, a new frontier in structural biology |
Hanssen, Prof Eric |
|
|
Photonic Computing Architecture Validator |
Lim, Prof Christina |
|
|
Facility for growth and characterisation of advanced materials and devices |
The University of New South Wales |
Hamilton, Prof Alexander |
|
Bioprinting and advanced visualisation of novel 3D model systems |
Poole, A/Prof Kathryn |
|
|
Time Layered Cultural Map of Australia: Advanced Techniques and Big Data |
The University of Newcastle |
Craig, Em/Prof Hugh |
|
4D Tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry for Multiphase Flow Measurement |
Doroodchi, A/Prof Elham |
|
|
High-Resolution Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy |
The University of Queensland |
Harmer, A/Prof Jeffrey |
|
Nanocrystal Electron Diffraction Facility |
Kobe, Prof Bostjan |
|
|
Integrated high-throughput material synthesis and characterisation system |
Wang, Prof Lianzhou |
|
|
The International Digital Policy Observatory |
The University of Sydney |
Flew, Prof Terry |
|
High performance chalcogenide processing addressing grand challenges |
Ho-Baillie, Prof Anita |
|
|
Radiochemistry Facility for Biomolecule Characterisation in Living Systems |
Kassiou, Prof Michael |
|
|
Comprehensive and Versatile In-house X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Facility |
Ling, Prof Chris |
|
|
Integrated Crystallisation Facility |
The University of Western Australia |
Bond, Prof Charles |
|
National Facility for Performance Characterisation of Infrared Technologies |
Faraone, Prof Lorenzo |
|
|
Transforming the Zadko Observatory into a Space Surveillance Hub |
Gendre, Dr Bruce |
|
|
Digitising the Drafting of the Australian Constitution |
Wesson, Dr Murray |
|
|
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope for High Temperature Analysis |
University of Southern Queensland |
Wang, Prof Hao |
|
I can see clearly now: An Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Imaging facility |
University of Tasmania |
Foo, A/Prof Eloise |
|
Towards a Green and Sustainable Energy-efficient Metaverse |
University of Wollongong |
Susilo, Prof Willy |
|
A Reconfigurable Neuromorphic Compute System for Brain-Scale Simulations |
Western Sydney University |
van Schaik, Prof André |