UNSW has received the most funding of any university in the country - $47.8 million - in the Australian Research Council's latest round of grants.

The funding, commencing January 2010, covers 122 projects across the Discovery and Linkage competitive grant schemes.

UNSW is the top performer in Linkage grants, winning $11.36 million for 28 cutting-edge projects involving collaboration with industry partners. They will contribute an additional $19.22 million in cash and in-kind contributions - a record amount.

A team from the Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation has been awarded $1.24 million to develop biotechnology for clean coal - UNSW's largest single grant. The collaboration with Biogas Energy will use native microorganisms to accelerate underground conversion of coal to methane. Environmentally, methane is a cleaner burning fuel than coal, using much less water for processing while generating the same quantity of electricity with lower CO2 emissions. The Faculty of Science research centre was also awarded two Discovery grants.

Other major Linkage projects funded include a safety management system for heavy vehicle transport; a new modelling approach for more efficient coal production processes; production of industrial high-efficiency solar cells; building the first immersive 360-degree interactive data browser; and the development of intervention programs to reduce mental health problems in Indonesia's Aceh province.

UNSW researchers will share in $36.38 million for 94 Discovery projects.

A team from the Australian Defence Force Academy, led by Professor Ian Petersen, was awarded the largest grant of just over a million dollars to look at new quantum and robust control theory with applications to quantum optics.

Other major projects funded include the development of advanced materials for use in functional applications such as ionic batteries, catalysts and gas sensors; economic analysis of how consumers make complex superannuation decisions; investigation of the effects of parents providing alcohol to children; and enhancing the performance of silicon to protect electronic devices in aqueous environments.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Les Field said the University's grant success was a "fantastic" achievement.

"UNSW has received the highest overall level of funding for any university in the country, which recognises the groundbreaking work of many talented researchers."

The Federal Government will provide more than $394 million for 1145 research projects in the latest funding round. The successful grants were announced this week by the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr.

A full list of successful Discovery and Linkage grants are available on the ARC website.

Media contact: Denise Knight, UNSW Media Office | 9385 8920 | d.knight@unsw.edu.au