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Thinking Systems
Selection Report for funding commencing in 2006

Overview
Objectives
Selection process
Selection criteria
National Research Priorities
Duration of Funding
Summary of Outcomes
Funding Assistance
Research Students
Outcomes by primary Discipline
Outcomes by Organisation
Scheme Budget Allocations

Overview

This report outlines outcomes from the selection process for Thinking Systems for funding commencing in 2006.

In conducting the Thinking Systems initiative, the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) are addressing collaboratively the Australian Government's national research priority of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and, in particular, the associated goals for Breakthrough Science and Frontier Technologies.

The Thinking Systems initiative, conducted under the ARC's Special Research Initiatives (SRI) scheme, supports research into 'thinking systems' which crosses sectors, institutions and research disciplines to open up new frontiers.
It is intended that this cross-disciplinary, collaborative and cross-organisational initiative will lead to the generation and application of new knowledge in the development of intelligent machines, robots and information systems, and will place Australia at the forefront of this area internationally.

The ARC received 47 Thinking Systems proposals submitted in 2005 for funding commencing in 2006.

Objectives

The Thinking Systems initiative will support high-quality research which will assist in advancing Australia's research excellence to be globally competitive and deliver benefits to the community. It will support novel, innovative and cross-disciplinary research at the intersections of neuroscience, genetics, proteomics, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, computer science and information technology. This research is expected to increase understanding of how information is transmitted, received, processed and understood in cognitive systems, including artificial systems. It is also expected to increase understanding of biological hardware, programming and the operation of 'thinking systems'.

Selection process

The application period for Thinking Systems closed on 14 December 2005. Assessment of proposals was undertaken by a Selection Advisory Committee. The Selection Advisory Committee consisted of seven distinguished researchers with both a national perspective and considerable experience of the international research scene. The Selection Advisory Committee:

  • considered and advised on the eligibility of proposals;
  • ranked each proposal relative to the others on the basis of the proposal, assessors’ advice and its own expertise;
  • prepared a short-list of proposals, invited short-listed applicants to attend structured interviews and used information gathered from these interviews in its evaluation; and
  • assessed and recommended proposals for funding.

Selection criteria

Assessment of Thinking Systems proposals was based on the following criteria and weightings:

Cross-disciplinary approach and method    40%
Assessment against this criterion considered the nature and merit of the proposal in relation to the objectives of the SRI scheme and Thinking Systems objectives.

Innovation    20%
Innovation is a key objective of the Thinking Systems initiative and assessments reflected the extent to which the proposal supported novel and innovative research.

Investigators    20%
Assessment against this criterion considered the parties who are to be involved in, and associated with, the project, including their track record relative to opportunities and their capacity to undertake the proposed research and activities.

National significance and importance    20%
Assessment against this criterion took into account the relevance of the proposal to issues of national significance and importance, including the potential of the research results and outcomes to result in economic and/or social benefits for Australia.

National Research Priorities

The aim of the Thinking Systems initiative was to progress the Australian Government’s national research priority for Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and, in particular, the associated goals for Breakthrough Science and Frontier Technologies. All 47 Thinking Systems proposals identified their research as being within the national research priority area Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. Table 1 identifies the national research priority goals indicated in submitted Thinking Systems proposals.

Table 1: National research priority goals listed in Thinking Systems proposals

National Research Priority Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries
Priority goals
Number of proposals in which the goal was indicated - all proposals
Number of proposals in which the goal was indicated - recommended projects
Recommended funding by priority goal
Breakthrough science
24
3
$10,000,000
Frontier technologies
29
1
$3,300,000
Advanced materials
3
0
Nil
Smart information use
24
0
Nil
Promoting an innovation culture and economy
12
0
Nil
None
7
0
Nil

Duration of Funding

Thinking Systems proposals may be awarded funding for one to five years, subject to parliamentary appropriations. The three approved Thinking Systems projects requested, and would receive, support for five years.

Summary of Outcomes

Forty-seven proposals for the Thinking Systems initiative were considered for funding under the SRI Funding Rules, seeking a total of $97,378,503 in funding. Of these, three projects (6.4%) were approved for funding, representing a total commitment of $10,000,000 over the financial years 2006-07 to 2010-11. Forty-four Thinking Systems proposals are not approved for funding.

Funding Assistance

The allocations from the Special Research Initiatives budget for approved Thinking Systems projects to commence in 2006 are shown in Table 2 below. The total amount allocated to Thinking Systems projects ($10,000,000) represents 90.2% of the total requested ($11,090,559) by those projects. Average funding per approved Thinking Systems project equates to $3,333,333 over five years.

Table 2: Funding assistance for approved Thinking Systems projects

Number of Thinking Systems projects
Amount requested for approved projects
Total Amount approved
Average per project
3
$11,090,559
$10,000,000
$3,333,333

Research Students

A total of 44 PhD and Honours students will be supported in developing international research experience and networks through Thinking Systems projects as shown in Table 3 below. The three projects approved for funding included 24 PhD students and 20 Honours students.

Table 3: Research Students

Research student type
Number of researchers listed in all proposals
Number of researchers listed in approved projects
PhD
256
24
Masters
50
0
Honours
250
20
Total
556
44

Outcomes by primary Discipline

The Thinking Systems initiative will support novel, innovative and cross-disciplinary research. The primary disciplines of proposals, as identified by RFCD codes selected by applicants, are shown in Table 4.

Table 4: Numbers and success rates for Thinking Systems proposals by discipline group

Discipline Group *
Proposals received
Projects approved
Success rate %
Requested funding over project life – approved projects
Recommended funding over project life
BSB
7
1
14.3%
$3,644,393
$3,300,000
EE
2
0
0.0%
-
$0
HCA
2
0
0.0%
-
$0
MIC
28
1
3.6%
$3,749,086
$3,300,000
PCG
0
0
0.0%
-
$0
SBE
8
1
12.5%
$3,697,080
$3,400,000
Total
47
3
6.4%
$11,090,559
$10,000,000

* BSB = Biological Sciences and Biotechnology; EE = Engineering and Environmental Sciences; HCA = Humanities and Creative Arts; MIC = Mathematics, Information and Communication Sciences; PCG = Physics, Chemistry and Geoscience; SBE = Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences

Outcomes by Organisation

The number of Thinking Systems proposals considered and approved, and funding requested and approved, by organisation, is shown in Table 5 below.

Table 5: Thinking Systems proposals by organisation: total requested and approved funding

Administering Organisation
Total Funding Requested
Funding recommended over project life
Thinking System Proposals considered
Projects Approved
Success rate %
Macquarie University
$1,923,875
$0
1
0
0.0
The University of New England
$107,571
$0
1
0
0.0
The University of New South Wales
$7,659,487
$3,300,000
3
1
33.3
The University of Newcastle
$1,814,144
$0
3
0
0.0
The University of Sydney
$9,770,210
$0
4
0
0.0
University of Western Sydney
$3,697,080
$3,400,000
1
1
100.0
University of Wollongong
$5,907,561
$0
2
0
0.0
La Trobe University
$1,206,476
$0
1
0
0.0
Monash University
$9,547,527
$0
4
0
0.0
RMIT University
$3,642,880
$0
1
0
0.0
Swinburne University of Technology
$2,094,449
$0
1
0
0.0
The University of Melbourne
$13,924,547
$0
4
0
0.0
Griffith University
$3,607,015
$0
1
0
0.0
James Cook University
$1,539,125
$0
1
0
0.0
Queensland University of Technology
$2,587,223
$0
1
0
0.0
University of Southern Queensland
$294,331
$0
1
0
0.0
The University of Queensland
$10,608,822
$3,300,000
4
1
25.0
Edith Cowan University
$423,100
$0
1
0
0.0
The University of Western Australia
$985,670
$0
1
0
0.0
The Flinders University of South Australia
$2,690,009
$0
2
0
0.0
The University of Adelaide
$3,747,158
$0
1
0
0.0
University of South Australia
$1,377,416
$0
1
0
0.0
University of Tasmania
$1,187,558
$0
3
0
0.0
The Australian National University
$6,717,144
$0
3
0
0.0
University of Canberra
$318,125
$0
1
0
0.0
TOTAL
$97,378,503
$10,000,000
47
3
6.4

Scheme Budget Allocations

The allocations from the Special Research Initiatives budget for approved Thinking Systems projects to commence in 2006, by financial year, are shown in Table 6 below.

Table 6: SRI allocations for Thinking Systems, by financial year

Financial Year allocations
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
Total
Total
$1,900,000
$1,951,000
$2,114,000
$2,050,000
$1,985,000
$10,000,000

The allocations from the Special Research Initiatives budget for approved Thinking Systems projects to commence in 2006, by calendar year, are shown in Table 7 below.

Table 7: SRI allocations for Thinking Systems, by calendar year

Calendar Year allocations

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Total
Total
$950,000
$1,925,500
$2,032,500
$2,082,000
$2,017,500
$992,500
$10,000,000

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