Australia's highest ranked research for the fifth year in a row

(Australian Research Magazine, 2024)

Centre for Robotics

Progress in the development of intelligent robotic systems is exciting. We're exploring ways for robots to visually sense, understand and interact with complex and unstructured real world environments.

Explore the centre

Our research strategy

To achieve internationally recognised excellence and impact, the QUT Faculty of Engineering is committed to the consolidation and growth of our research capacity in priority and emerging areas.

The faculty’s research strategy provides context around the research priorities and the external challenges that we seek to collectively address. These research priorities are firmly anchored in tackling significant, complex and ongoing challenges that shape our global landscape.

Download the QUT Faculty of Engineering Research Strategy (PDF file, 2.5 MB)

Real world research

Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant

Our Mackay Pilot Plant is pioneering research and innovation in biorefining. By turning agricultural biomass into cleaner bioproducts, we’re supporting an increased uptake of renewable processes and creating a more profitable and sustainable agriculture sector.

Discover more

STRATA Research Group

We provide high-impact solutions to industry by integrating sustainable process engineering practices with fundamental science and delivering workforce skills and industry-relevant educational programs and commercial outcomes.

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Our research groups and projects

Displaying 13 - 18 of 31 research projects

Geoengineering and Construction

Geoengineering and construction

Human Building Interaction

Explore an interdisciplinary area of research that includes architecture, building science, ubiquitous computing, and interaction design.

Impact Test Facility

QUT's new-generation facility for impact testing studies the impact response of civil and mechanical structures, components and materials.

Laboratory for Advanced Modelling and Simulation in Engineering and Science (LAMSES)

Laboratory for Advanced Modelling and Simulation in Engineering and Science

Max Planck Queensland Centre

Research from the Max Planck Queensland Centre for the Materials Science of Extracellular Matrices.

Mechanical Metamaterials, Devices, and Surfaces

Mechanical meta-materials, also known as architectured or architected materials, are an emerging class of materials in which mechanical properties can be tailored by altering their internal architectures. Analogous to these materials, the same concept has been used to modify devices and surfaces, leading to mechanical meta-devices and mechanical meta-surfaces. For example, robotic pick-and-place devices can be architectured to tune their shape and stiffness in situ so they can interact with objects with various shapes and hardnesses. Or surfaces of biomedical implants can be nano-architectured (nano-structured) to lyse the bacteria cells, a strategy pioneered in nature, for example, in insect wings. This website showcases our research in new classes of mechanical meta-materials, -devices, and -surfaces. For design, we use analytical and finite element models. We develop novel manufacturing techniques for fabrication, including ceramic 3D/4D printing. And we use state-of-the-art characterisation techniques, such as mechanical testing under in-situ stereo-imaging and in-stu computed tomography, to understand the architecture-property relationships, which can then be used for optimisation.

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Participate in research

You can help us to discover new knowledge, create innovations and develop solutions for real-world challenges.

How you can participate

Study with us

Be a part of a more progressive, collaborative approach to research and contribute to your field, progress into academia or grow your career.

How you can study with us

Work with our students

Research student internships bring a fresh perspective, new skills and innovative approaches to your workplace.

How it works

Our facilities

Research news

QUT researchers awarded more than $15 million in ARC Future Fellowships
11 Sep 2026

QUT researchers awarded more than $15 million in ARC Future Fellowships

QUT researchers have secured more than $15 million in Australian Research Council Future Fellowship funding, with 13 researchers awarded support for projects spanning renewable energy, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, education, environmental science and disaster resilience.

Hazardous microplastics heaviest in Bulimba Creek in Brisbane
10 Sep 2026

Hazardous microplastics heaviest in Bulimba Creek in Brisbane

Bulimba Creek was found to have a high load of hazardous microplastics in an investigation of the composition of microplastic types in three Brisbane creeks by QUT researchers. 

Too much emotion in digital marketing reduces sales: QUT research
8 Sep 2026

Too much emotion in digital marketing reduces sales: QUT research

PhD researcher Sichen Meng has won the QUT 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition with her presentation “More Likes, Fewer Sales: Helping Small Sellers Turn Attention into Purchases”, which found more attention did not equal more sales.

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