Edhem (Eddie) Čustović, Ph.D.

The government has just announced funding for a National Quantum network ($18.5M). https://lnkd.in/gk-rF27Y. This is great news. It is crucial that the government fund networks of emerging industries since they lack the financial resources to support themselves. But as a roboticist I feel a bit forgotten. I'm singing in my head "What about me?" This announcement came after: - Investment in quantum computing ($1B) https://lnkd.in/gxpXPjUm - Solar Sunshot Manufacturing ($1B) https://lnkd.in/gS3Xnzva - Green Steel Manufacturing ($200M) https://lnkd.in/gVqwU9yW - Acquire Radar Company ($345M) https://lnkd.in/geTHubA4 - National Critical Minerals R&D Hub ($50M) https://lnkd.in/gxce3uxy - National AI Centre in 2021 ($47M) https://lnkd.in/gQ_4xRYX - National Space Agency in 2017 ($2B) https://lnkd.in/g8w7fW5Q And yet, there is no funding for a National RAS (Robotics and Autonomous Systems) Centre, even though RAS has been listed as a Critical Technology for Australia https://lnkd.in/gcMCptKG and one of the Enabling Capabilities for the NRF https://lnkd.in/gP6Wxyb8 And most recently: Future Made-in-Australia https://lnkd.in/gGfe6Ryr Where the PM believed that the "problem of labour costs is diminishing — thanks to robotics." But this ignores the fact that Australia has one of the lowest adoption rates of robotics in the western world (35th) https://lnkd.in/gDGgqRvk Which means if we want to make stuff in Australia, we need to dramatically increase that adoption and deployment of RAS? How is this going to happen? Yes we have some excellent existing initiatives, like the Robotics Australia Group and ARM Hub (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) but as far as I know there is no direct federal funding. It is now a year since the consultation on the National Robotics Strategy: https://lnkd.in/gZwbwtPJ" Where it was estimated that “Automation technologies, including robotics, provide an opportunity to add between $170 billion to $600 billion per year to Australia’s GDP by 2030" But if RAS is so critical to Australia - to defence, to mining, to agriculture, to logistics, and to manufacturing, why doesn't the Federal Government fund a National RAS Centre - just like all the other critical technologies. #whataboutme #futuremadeinAustralia #knowledgeDiffusion #nationalRoboticsStrategy #nationalRASCentre Ed Husic MP Here is a link to related posts: https://lnkd.in/gUj9a-Gq https://lnkd.in/gRenZgMq https://lnkd.in/g2EpBseH https://lnkd.in/gwY_NqJs

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The Community Affairs Legislation Committee has just published the joint submission I have co-authored with my friend and NDIA co-design colleague, Uli Cartwright, on the NDIS Bill. Our submission addresses: - The lack of co-design for major changes to the primary legislation according to Article 4(3) of the UNCRPD - Destruction of the golden thread between funding, goals and aspirations for a life worth living on an equal basis with others - Parallels with Robodebt culture in the participant experience and the further risks this Bill imposes - Legislating NDIA accountability to participants - Legislating NDIA, DSS and Government accountability in co-design - Our vision for the co-design commitment we need This submission was made independently of our roles as NDIA Participant Reference Group members. However, in light of the following statement published on the DSS website last night regarding NDIA co-design, we wish to set the record straight: “Since the Government introduced proposed changes to the NDIS Act, the NDIA has been working closely with Disability Representative and Carer Organisations (DRCOs), our Independent Advisory Council (IAC) and Participant Reference Group (PRG) to improve their approach and confirm the next set of priority topics for co-design.” We do not know who drafted this FAQ, but we do not believe “working closely” with the PRG is a fair or accurate representation of a one hour briefing the day after the Bill was tabled, a two hour Q&A for us to give our feedback on the proposed legislative changes, and a two hour meeting on the NDIA’s already-formed, already-drafted co-design approach and proposed topics. At this meeting, we asked the NDIA to ask us what we can contribute and how much work we can take on, not to assume we are not up to the task. We go much further in our submission: We ask the Government, DSS and the NDIA to “assume that we can” contribute much more, and to invite people with disability to lead these reforms, including drafting of amendments (or indeed, re-drafting) of this Bill.

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Looking forward to vigorous dialectic about two core concepts in evaluation. My hope is we can leave this session with greater confidence about the roles of theory and logic in evaluation - paticularly evaluation of the design of an intervention or 'will it work?' where the differences between theory and logic may be of most practical importance. https://lnkd.in/gANrFb7z

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Cooperative Research Australia recently released the report from their National Innovation Policy Forum, which was held in Canberra late last year. The forum brought together Australian innovation leaders from business, research and boundary-spanning entities that foster industry-research collaboration with policymakers and parliamentarians to tackle common challenges. A number of discussions centred around the importance of collaboration between industry and university research. Several of the key themes covered on the day we think about at CAA, like how companies can scale in Australia and how we can build efficient frameworks for innovation so companies want to stay here as well as move here. A common sentiment amongst participants was that universities tend not operate in ways that work for industry. This is often driven by slower university timeframes, and differing KPIs compared to industry. It was emphasised that these differences must be bridged if industry and academia are going to be able to best collaborate for innovation going forward. It’s pleasing to see that changes are happening, albeit slowly, as this is of great importance to the cell ag sector in Australia—for the sector to thrive, all parts of the innovation ecosystem, including academia and industry, must work together. This is something we focus on at CAA, specifically aiming to foster these collaborations by regularly bringing all parts of the sector together. 🤝 You can read the full report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gmpu73KN #Innovation #cellag #cellularagriculture #AusInnovation

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The Australian Code of Ethics for the LIS workforce is open for consultation! If you are quick, you have a chance to download the version with the glaring typo before we fix it (and prize to the person who pointed that out - it was the first piece of consultation feedback we received:) #CodeOfEthics #LibrariesTransform #Libraries #LIS https://lnkd.in/gJzFthWr

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Fiji: Shifting tides in Pacific refugee protection https://lnkd.in/ghXk2hdp Fiji is an example of what can be achieved through effective collaboration with national authorities and community stakeholders to manage the arrival of asylum seekers and welcome refugees

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Start your week with new knowledge 💡 View our three most recent webinars to learn about: 🌱 establishment of a nation-wide network of experimental revegetation plantings to test effectiveness of climate-adapted strategies. 🤝 an Australian-first process to support collaborative, inclusive, informed and deliberative consideration of post-mining land uses in the Latrobe Valley. 🔎 why actions towards Nature Positive need to be integrated across the life of mine. View here: https://lnkd.in/gb3eNsED

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The "Climate change scenarios for the Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Education Sector" report represents a collective effort to answer the question: How will climate change impact the tertiary education sector in Aotearoa New Zealand between now and 2100? The new publication presents strategic provocations rather than predictions, fostering discussions on plausible futures and encouraging effective planning across the sector. Crafted through a highly collaborative and inclusive process, the scenarios draw insights from multiple institutions and diverse stakeholders, including students, staff, iwi, government, business and civil society. Andrew Wilks, Project Lead and Director of Sustainability at Victoria University of Wellington, emphasises the significance of this endeavour. “Compiling the climate scenarios has been a great example of cross-sector collaboration. The scenarios now provide a platform for individual institutions to understand how climate change will impact them over the next 75 years so they can begin planning their responses. While the sector is facing financial challenges now, we need to remain mindful of the long term impacts of climate change so the decisions we make today position us well for tomorrow." 🌿 Executive summary: https://lnkd.in/gDwqQjmG 🌿 Full report: https://lnkd.in/gz2Qr9ib

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Very excited at today’s announcement of the Commonwealth’s and Queensland’s support for PsiQuantum to build the world’s first fault-tolerant quantum computer in Brisbane. Semafor sums it up well: “Australia’s bet makes sense…the impact of attracting this kind of technology will pay dividends in the long run.” Australia needs a sophisticated hybrid approach to growth: there has been a  two-decade drought in productivity-boosting reform. We’ve looked at the benefits and advantages of Australia converting a strong research base in quantum computing to a fully commercialised industry. It’s the kind of shrewd bet that our peers such as South Korea, Taiwan, and the US have made: today, they host some of the world’s most technologically advanced economies #quantum #mandalaresearch #psiquantum https://lnkd.in/dTgQJ--h

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New publication alert: It was a real privilege to work on the project that led to this article now published as open access in 'Communication Research and Practice'. In addition to conducting surveys with newly arrived refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding their digital practices, we conducted interviews with families who had been severely impacted (due to delayed reunions) yet also felt connected due to the Internet. One of the most affirming aspects of this research was the sharing of digital literacy between generations. #newpublication #journalarticle #digitalinclusion #refugees #COVID19 More details on findings below:

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📚Join the Party or Build our Own? - Panel session on Open Infrastructures to Support Open Research in Australia! Research and the way it is communicated are in the midst of a major global shift. Digital technologies, the internet, cloud computing and machine learning are transforming possibilities and allowing for collaboration and meta analysis at a scale that was previously unimaginable. At the same time, the forms of communication that researchers use are changing, along with the audiences they are seeking to connect with, and the expectations embedded in research assessment practices. This panel session brings two European leaders in the Open Infrastructure space into conversation with key Australian experts. Together, the panel will explore the research infrastructure choices that are now facing Australia. 🗓 Date: Wednesday, 8th of May 🕔 Time: 2 PM to 4 PM AWST 📍 Location: Curtin University Library 🔗 Find out more and register: https://lnkd.in/dyVXUsRp Curtin University Curtin Open Knowledge Initiative (COKI) Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

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There are many resources that can help you find grants. These include: - Australian Government's GrantConnect - State Government grant databases - Local Council and regional initiative websites - Funder websites, newsletters and social media - Subscription-based services (e.g. The Grants Hub, GEMS, The Funding Centre, GrantGuru). Want to get the best value for your needs? I'm happy to share what I've learned over the years and feedback we've heard from others. Whichever methods you use, you also need a strategy to be proactive and assess grants effectively. Getting a bunch of daily updates is pointless unless you have an actionable plan for filtering opportunities and prioritising resources. If you want to save time and search smarter, get in touch. #findgrants #governmentgrants #philanthropy #australiangrants #purposeplus by Tender Plus

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Issues in Science and Technology is hosting a science & tech policy survey to gain a better sense of this vital policy community. Please take the survey and share it with your colleagues!

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If Australia is "really serious about claiming our place as a global innovation and clean energy player, we need to invest properly in Australian science, innovation and people." In a story in The Conversation, Kylie Walker (CEO at Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering) talks about what's good in the just released Federal Budget, and where it falls short: https://lnkd.in/egB9dCy5

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I am extremely fortunate to be a member of the SaferAI for Children Coalition, formed by ICMEC Australia (huge thank you to Dannielle Kelly and Mikaela Jago for facilitating) Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? This "old dog" is learning more and more about the tech industry and the increasing use of AI, both positive and negative, in relation to harms against children. 'Some' of the emerging concerns around AI in the protection of children space include: * Revictimisation: where victims of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) are revictimised with images used to generate new images * Victimisation of real children: where CSAM is generated from non-sexual images * AI generated images in sextortion and bullying: by adults and other young people * Impacts on LEA and victim identification teams: who may have resources redirected to identifying victims who do not exist * Impacts of AI produced images on hashtag lists * Impacts on offending: normalising children as sexual (counter to the argument that there is no 'real' child and therefore should not be criminalised... similar to the arguments around child-like sex dolls) * Grooming: AI CSAM images being used to groom children * Mass production: AI enables the generation of CSAM on mass over a short time period The reality is AI generated CSAM is CSAM (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: https://lnkd.in/gVpmF-zM)

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papers at #NAACL2024 this week: Two were presented in the virtual poster session a few days ago: 1. "Improving Absent Keyphrase Generation with Diversity Heads", based on the summer coop term work by Edwin Thomas https://lnkd.in/gZsTS-36 2. "Methods, Applications, and Directions of Learning-to-Rank in NLP Research", with Justin Lee, Gabriel Bernier-Colborne and Tegan Maharaj https://lnkd.in/ghm_rS9U A third one, originally published in Transactions of the ACL journal, will be presented in-person this week at Mexico City by Gaurav Kamath. "Scope Ambiguities in Large Language Models" with Gaurav Kamath, Sebastian Schuster, Siva Reddy https://lnkd.in/gKRFJR3z Lot of interesting work, and I had a good time during the virtual posters day last week. I don't foresee an in-person attendance for me in near future, so I am figuring out the best way to present and network in online events with each passing event :-)

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Canberra folks, this webinar on commmunity voices changing politics could be something you want to join: "Canberra, Australia: one of the best places in one of the best countries. But can we be doing better, and whose job is that? Join us to hear from three great speakers as we explore climate change, inter-generational equity and democracy" Deets here: https://lnkd.in/ex_aEB67

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Super excited to be part of this collaboration! This research infrastructure piece supports the CoE work and will extend our data and AI capabilities. Specifically, it will establish tools and processes to help researchers study the impact of automated systems that underpin the major digital platforms (social media, digital services and more) and monitor their role in shaping flows of information and communication. The aim is to empower researchers with the tools and methods desperately needed to study the social impact of digital platforms and draw on them to understand and solve social problems.  There will be a lot of applications to explore - from mis- and dis-information, to public health communication and awareness, and the flow of information during emergency and crisis events. Essentially this will help us gather the data to hold digital platforms to account and leverage social data for public good. Part of the work will be establishing methods for leveraging synthetic data with Large Language Models. And supporting all of the work is an ethics and governance package that will help to scrutinise the ethical and social implications of the way digital platform data is underpinning AI model development. Swinburne University of Technology   

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Every preventable death in public settings should be a catalyst for learning and future actions, especially when over a thousand lives are at stake. The Middle East is experiencing temperature rises at a pace almost 50% faster than the rest of the northern hemisphere. This means, if preventative measures are not significantly amplified, we will increasingly hear news of such tragedies from Hajj, as it will occur in the peak of summer for several more years. Hajj, the largest and perhaps most complex mass gathering in history, requires a dedicated science and risk strategy. Despite numerous safety provisions over the years, the event's sheer scale consistently introduces new and complex risks. In essence, a lot has been done, but not in proportion to the scale and complexity of the event. I had the chance to share some thoughts on this earlier this morning on ABC News. I thank presenter Kathryn Robinson for asking very informative questions and giving voice to this issue. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) UNSW | UNSW Engineering | UNSW Civil and Environmental Engineering https://lnkd.in/gWvkkCPV

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