July 21, 2025
Preschool dance, palliative care, and green energy the focus of new PhD research
UOW secures four successful projects in Federal Government’s National Industry PhD program
A research collaboration that will explore the role of preschool dance education to children’s development is among a suite of new projects that will see the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp of ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp (UOW) join forces with industry partners to create change.
The four UOW initiatives were funded as part of the Federal Government’s National Industry PhD program, announced this week (Thursday 17 July). Working in collaboration with industry partners, UOW researchers will focus on a range of areas, including improving palliative care, establishing a best-practice approach to preschool dance education, reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated by wastewater systems, and finding a new, environmentally friendly way to clean steel.
The National Industry PhD Program is part of a $296 million government initiative to bring together trained researchers to solve industry problems across agriculture, food production, medical research, environmental sustainability, manufacturing, and Artificial Intelligence.
Dr Paul Di Pietro, UOW Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (Research and Sustainable Futures), congratulated the research teams on their game-changing projects.
“Congratulations to all the researchers whose hard work and vision have been recognised with funding through the National Industry PhD Program,” he said.
“This fantastic initiative highlights the power of collaboration between universities and industry to drive innovation and tackle real-world challenges. Each funded project represents a significant step forward, promising not only to advance its field but also to deliver meaningful benefits to the broader community.”
There are two streams to the program. Industry Linked PhDs, in which outstanding PhD candidates undertake research projects co-designed by university and industry, and Industry Researcher PhDs, in which industry professionals are supported by their employers to undertake PhD projects in partnership with a university while retaining their role.
The four UOW projects all fall under the Industry Linked PhDs category, a 100 per cent funding success rate for the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp in this round of funding.
Quality preschool dance education and children’s development: A multi-study examination of the ‘Ready Set Dance’ program
, from the Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, will lead this project in collaboration with Ready Set Dance to explore the development value of preschool dance programs. While parents seek quality movement programs for cognitive and social development for their pre-school-aged children, the industry lacks data demonstrating the benefits of these programs. Co-designed with Ready Set Dance, the study will evaluate how structured, play-based dance influences self-regulation, executive functioning, and school readiness in young children, particularly post-pandemic. The research will generate evidence to establish industry best practices, helping transform preschool dance from mere recreation to a recognised developmental tool.
Development and evaluation of a clinical and quality improvement framework for home-based palliative aged care: An industry co-designed model
Australians approaching end-of-life prefer to live and die at home. More than 258,000 Australians aged over 65 receive home-based palliative care to support living in their home as they decline. However, there is no standardised approach to identifying those who would benefit from palliative care in home care settings. In collaboration with industry partner Silverchain, , from the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, will lead the project to develop the Palliative Aged Care Outcomes Program for Home-based Aged Care (PACOP-HAC). The fit-for-purpose framework will ensure equitable access to palliative care for people approaching the end of life, address individual preferences, and reduce the increasing burden on health care resources in an ageing Australia. The collaboration will provide evidence for the PACOP-HAC Model to be implemented in Australia and around the world.
Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater transfer systems
Australia is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but methane from wastewater systems remains a major challenge, accounting for up to 6 per cent of global methane emissions. These emissions occur when organic waste breaks down, and existing solutions are often expensive, ineffective, or not widely used. This project, led by , from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, tackles the problem by developing and validating an innovative, scalable methane mitigation process, working closely with industry partners Originwater International to ensure real-world impact. Through rigorous laboratory research and on-site trials, the project aims to deliver a practical, cost-effective solution that water utilities can adopt easily, supporting Australia’s climate goals and enhancing environmental sustainability.
A novel cleaning process for the continuous galvanization of Al-Zn-Mg-Si alloy coatings to reduce the environmental footprints
This project, a partnership between BlueScope and UOW, led by , from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, will trial cutting-edge technologies – such as laser, plasma, ultrasound and microwave – to clean cold-rolled steel strips prior to continuous hot-dip metal coating. These innovative methods aim to replace traditional cleaning processes, significantly reducing energy use and carbon emissions. By pioneering these advanced techniques, the project will help develop and support a cleaner, more sustainable steel manufacturing process.