Defence Science and Technology Group
(DST Group)

Overview

DST Group has consistently been an active ACEMS collaborator and 2020 was no exception, with engagement and collaboration activity, including with new contacts, units and networks associated with DST likely to yield new opportunities, collaborations, and engagements, in 2021.

Highlights from 2020 of research collaborations with DST, including funding for new projects, and engagements, are shared below.

Research Collaboration

The ACEMS ICSS project “A generalised framework for characterising uncertainty in complex systems to enable quantification of extrinsic mathematical uncertainty in defence and emergency services” with DST is continuing. In 2020, in the face of COVID-19, there was a need to recruit and appoint a new RA to work on the project, since the original RA had expertise to contribute to priority COVID-19 research.  Outcomes are expected to be reported in 2021.

Funding for DST Relevant Research

In 2020, ACEMS researchers proposed new projects, applied for funding (internal and external, including from DST), and were awarded funding for research with DST collaborators, or otherwise relevant to DST.  A summary of key funding applications and research projects are provided below.

Funding Application Accepted / Current / Proposed	Details of Funding / Research
Operations Research Network (ORNet) Call: Dynamic Planning under Uncertainty for Autonomous Analyst Influence and Interference in the Grey Zone Comprehensive Simulation Meta-Modelling Capability Defining New Metrics & Models for Land Conflict Intelligent Simulation Development Augmentation	ACEMS Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator and ORnet engaged in discussions regarding the ORnet call, and potential relevance of various ACEMS researchers and research. At least four applications were then filed on behalf of ACEMS members. At least three of those applications have been successful, representing at least $300,000 in funding ACEMS researchers who will be pursuing ORnet funded research include: ACEMS AI James McGree; ACEMS AI Lewis Mitchell with (established collaborator, and proposed new ACEMS AI from QUT) Tim Graham, and ACEMS AI/CSIRO’s Mehwish Nasim
Defence Innovation Network Grant: Knowledge Synthesis for Autonomous Analyst	Project: “Knowledge Synthesis for Autonomous Analyst” ACEMS CI Scott Sisson and ACEMS AI Clara Grazian were awarded $160,000 in funding for this 12-month project (proposed to commence 1 July 2020 and end 30 June 2021)
Defence Innovation Network Grant: Optimising ADF military working dog performance through next-generation monitoring systems	Project: “Optimising ADF military working dog performance through next-generation monitoring systems” ACEMS CI Scott Sisson and ACEMS AI Clara Grazian were awarded $175,000 in Defence Innovation Network funding for this 12-month project (proposed to commence 1 October 2020 and end 30 September 2021)
Proposed ACEMS RSS Project -  understand the properties of echo chambers on social media	ACEMS/CSIRO AI Mehwish Nasim and ACEMS CI Lewis Mitchell propose applying for ACEMS RSS funding to extend their work on misinformation on social networks, to understand echo chambers. They intend to collaborate with a PhD student and DST employee, Mr Derek Weber. This work aims to tackle the challenge of misinformation on social networks, including to ultimately identify misinformation trails and determine how to break filter bubbles in order to tackle misinformation.  An RSS application will be filed.
Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF) - Cyber Program	ACEMS CI Lewis Mitchell and QUT’s Dr Timothy Graham were advanced to the second round of DST Group’s Next Generation Tech Fund, Cyber PRogram, for their proposal for quantifying influence in online social networks.
OSCEN Research Pitch	ACEMS PhD student Edward Barker and OSCEN Research co-founder has presented his technology to Defence, and is in continuing discussions.

New: Human Performance Research Network (HPRnet)

1. ACEMS Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator (SEC) engaged a new network within DST, namely, DST’s HPRnet to discuss the research, and capabilities of potential relevance, across ACEMS and its extended network. 
2. A follow up research briefing was held, with ACEMS SEC and ACEMS CI Scott Sisson briefing leaders from DST’s HPRnet on ACEMS capabilities and opportunities for initial knowledge exchange, including a research and ideas symposium. 
3. Engagements followed, including the ACEMS Human Performance Research and Ideas Symposium (see Engagement Highlights) and ACEMS attendance at the HPRNet Symposium 2020.
4. These engagements have already led to new opportunities for researchers from ACEMS and its extended network followed (including for funding, research collaboration, further research briefings, co-supervision, and more). 
5. HPRnet invited ACEMS to be formally recognised in its network.

Engagement Highlights

A key engagement with Defence in 2020, which attracted Defence speakers from Army, Navy, Airforce, and DST’s Human Performance Research Network (HPRnet) and their collaborators from a range of universities across Australia, was the ACEMS Human Performance Research and Ideas Symposium, as featured below.

Additionally, ACEMS attended the DST’s Human Sciences and HPRnet Conferences (held virtually in December 2020) and has plans to attend future events with DST, including the STAR Shots Program in early 2021. 

ACEMS Human Performance Research and Ideas Symposium

ACEMS organised and hosted the ACEMS Human Performance Research and Ideas Symposium, with special industry guests including the Department of Defence and DST’s HPRnet. 

There were seventeen speakers at the event, including research students and researchers from across ACEMS nodes, and at least fifty attendees, including from industry and other fields of academic research. A number of the presentations are available to view on ACEMS website view presentations here. 

Participants from Defence included DST’s HPRnet (leader, group leaders, researchers) plus each of the Australian forces, namely, Army, Airforce and Navy.  Positive feedback was received from DST (and other) event participants, commenting on the benefits of learning about ACEMS and others’ research, the opportunity for knowledge exchange and discussions (including across organisations and disciplines), and the desire to engage again, including for follow-up discussions on particular topics and opportunity pursuit. 

The aim of this ACEMS symposium included:

1. to bring together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers and students, together with industry guests, for the purpose of sharing knowledge and exploring research, ideas, and opportunities (in and across performance domains): to improve human cognitive and physical performance; including at the individual and team level; with technology; and in challenging scenarios and changing conditions.
2. explore possible synergies across different domains of human performance (including health, elite sports, defence, and electronic sports/gaming)
3. catalyse new connections and collaboration opportunities

Overview of Key Sessions:

• Session 1 - Welcome & Overview
• Session 2 - Defence: DST's HPRnet
• Session 3 - eSports & Extended Reality (XR) Tech
• Session 4 - Elite Athletes & Sports
• Session 5 - Microbiome & Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Session 6 - Research Questions (with DST HPRnet focus)
• Session 7 - Our Capabilities (inc. Methods) & Resources (inc. Tools)
• Session 8 - Open Discussion: Ideas & Opportunities