From L to R: Dr Anna Florin, Dr Mohammed Alsudairi and Dr Thao Phan. Credit: ANU
Three researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) have received support for their projects through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme.
Dr Mohammed Alsudairi, Dr Anna Florin and Dr Thao Phan are among 200 early career researchers nationwide to be awarded a DECRA by the Australian Government.
The DECRA scheme supports outstanding early career researchers to undertake excellent and innovative research designed to address critical knowledge gaps and deliver solutions that address economic, environmental, social, and cultural challenges to improve quality of life and drive sustainable progress for all Australians.
Dr Alsudairi, from the Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies (RSSS), has been awarded $528,773 for his project Building and Governing Sectarianism: Muslims and the Modern Chinese State. Dr Alsudairi will investigate how modern states encourage and institutionalise sectarianism, focusing specifically on the encounter between the Chinese state and its Muslim citizens along its Northwest frontier regions. This will contribute to enhancing Australia’s national capacity in analysing Chinese politics and regime resilience.
Dr Florin, from the School of Archaeology and Anthropology (RSHA), has been awarded $529,382 for her project Co-investigating Deep Time Plant Use in Sahul for Sustainable Food Futures. Dr Florin aims to provide new evidence for the nature and deep-time development of plant use and landscape management practices across Australia and New Guinea. Her project will support Indigenous partner communities to apply their biocultural heritage to create sustainable food futures, and provide a deepened understanding of the ancient and dynamic history of our continent.
Dr Phan, from the School of Sociology (RSSS), has been awarded $519,185 for her project Model Minorities: Racial Targeting and Discrimination in the Platform Era. Dr Phan will investigate the impacts of algorithmic targeting and discrimination on racially marginalised groups in Australia. This will provide significant benefits, such as holding platforms accountable to users and national regulators, strengthening national research infrastructure, and ensuring platforms operate in alignment with community values.
The CASS success rate for this scheme was 27% – more than doubling the national average of 13% and well above the ANU average of 17%.
“Our new DECRA recipients represent the next generation of research leaders at ANU. I am confident their work will drive progress, innovation and positive change across Australia,” said CASS Dean Professor Bronwyn Parry.
For a full list of funded projects, refer to the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2026 Grant Announcement Kit.
