Four researchers from UQ's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences have received significant funding in the latest round of Future Fellowship Awards by the Australian Research Council (ARC).
Associate Professor Adrian Cherney from the School of Social Science, Dr Ian Hesketh from the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), Associate Professor Elizabeth Stephens also from IASH and Dr Felicity Meakins from the School of Languages and Cultures join a group of 14 UQ researchers who have been awarded fellowships.
Faculty Executive Dean Professor Tim Dunne said the Faculty won 23.5% of the national allocation in HASS disciplines.
“Nationally, the Faculty picked up 2 out of 3 Futures in Languages, Communication and Culture, 1 out of 3 in Philosophy and Religious Studies, and 1 in 5 of total awards in the category Studies in Human Society” Professor Dunne said.
“These results reflect both the immense academic quality that we have in HASS and the first-class professional support provided by the Faculty and University research teams.
"A truly impressive result for the HASS Faculty, and for UQ overall."
Associate Professor Adrian Cherney was awarded $957,000 to investigate the prevention of terrorism and examine approaches that involve police community engagement and local responses to violent extremism.
Associate Professor Cherney said given the recent terrorist attacks in the U.K. we need to look at how our current responses to terrorism and violent extremists can be enhanced.
“My project sets out to ascertain how community partnerships against terrorism can be improved.
“Impacts include assisting police, government agencies, community groups and local service providers to implement and evaluate strategies that prevent terrorism,” Associate Professor Adrian Cherney said.
Dr Ian Hesketh was awarded $843,455 to examine how historical representations of Darwin and his revolutionary theory have influenced modern evolutionary science.
“By producing a new understanding of Darwin and the history of evolution, the project seeks to change the public conversation about the development of science and its history, and will thus promote new collaborative relationships between the sciences and the humanities,” Dr Hesketh said.
Dr Felicity Meakins was awarded $896,163 for an extensive survey of colonial language change in Australia.
Dr Meakins said the project aimed to recognise new ways of speaking and provide Indigenous communities with guiding principles for language revitalisation.
“One of the most pressing concerns in Indigenous Australia is the loss of precious linguistic heritage. English has changed the linguistic landscape of Australia profoundly. Of the 300 languages spoken at first contact, only 18 remain strong. In their place is a complex array of restructured varieties, Kriol dialects and fusions of traditional languages with English. This project will undertake an extensive survey of colonial language change in Australia,” said Dr Meakins.
Associate Professor Elizabeth Stephens was awarded $872,468 to examine how the arts and sciences can work together to address complex contemporary challenges.
The project is expected to develop models to help solve complex contemporary problems, and raise awareness about the importance of the arts to knowledge-making practices.
