December 11, 2025
On 9 December 2025, the Australian Research Council (ARC) announced the outcomes of its latest round of eight new Centres of Excellence to receive a total of $279 million in funding from 2026.
The Royal Society of NSW was delighted to learn that four of the new Centres are led by Society Fellows or winners of Society Awards in recent years and include a large number of Society Fellows amongst their research teams.
Details of four Centres and their Directors follow.
ARC Centre of Excellence for Future Oceans
Director: Scientia Professor Matthew England FAA (UNSW Sydney)
2019 winner of the RSNSW James Cook Medal
Summary: This Centre will comprehensively determine how our oceans are changing, now and in the future, and develop solutions to promote ocean sustainability and a thriving blue economy. Our oceans are already changing at an unprecedented rate, with costly impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities worldwide. By integrating fundamental science advances, innovative analyses of new observational data, new ultra-high resolution ocean models, and training a new generation of world-class scientists, the Centre will uncover vital information about our changing oceans. This will enable proactive management of our ocean environments and resources, enhancing the health, resilience, and security of Australia’s oceans for generations to come.
ARC Centre of Excellence in Mathematics for Quantum Era Security and Trust
Director: Payne Scott Professor Nalini Joshi AO FRSN FAA (University of Sydney)
2024 winner of the RSNSW Pollock Award and Lectureship
Summary: This Centre strives to build critical expertise to protect against the expected breakdown of cybersecurity protocols on quantum computers and build trust in artificial intelligence. Deep, untapped reservoirs of mathematical problems and structures will be mined to establish complexity foundations for security and create accelerated methods for AI. MathQuEST will assemble leading researchers from diverse disciplines to deliver a mathematically trained, technologically agile workforce, ensuring Australia’s preparedness for grand challenges arising from future quantum computers with dual-use impact across agriculture, defence, health and industry.
ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Performance and Integration
Director: Scientia Professor Andrea Morello FRSN (UNSW Sydney)
2017 winner of the RSNSW Pollock Award and Lectureship
Summary: This Centre aims to solve the scientific challenges that hinder the development of useful quantum computers. The Centre will synergistically develop high-performance quantum hardware, operate it in a resource-efficient way, and integrate diverse physical platforms across solid-state, optical and atom-based devices. Collaboration between world-leading researchers, emerging talent and global industries will unlock the full potential of quantum computer technologies, with an expected economic value of over $1 trillion across chemical, life sciences, finance and mobility industries. The Centre will be the key research vehicle to enable workforce growth and Australian leadership in this field.
ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Peptide and Protein Engineering
Director: Professor Richard Payne FRSN (University of Sydney)
2020 winner of the RSNSW Liversidge Award and Lectureship
Summary: Leveraging emerging technologies and a global competitive advantage, this ARC CoE aims to transform the engineering and translation of peptides and proteins – molecules essential for all life on Earth – for human and planetary benefit. CAPE will uncover unique molecules, including from Australia’s flora and fauna, using advanced computational methods; design ‘new-to-nature’ structures with unprecedented applications; and step-change production technologies to an automated and eco-friendly new paradigm. CAPE will unite diverse research leaders for a legacy of impactful translation in agriculture, conservation and biotech, while engaging the Australian public in the peptide and protein revolution via extensive outreach and creative pedagogy.
The Council of the Royal Society of NSW congratulates Professors Matthew England, Nalini Joshi, Andrew Morello, and Richard Payne, together with their research teams, on this marvellous result and wishes their new Centres every success in their discoveries and innovation in the coming seven years.
