QUT offers a diverse range of student topics for Honours, Masters and PhD study. Search to find a topic that interests you or propose your own research topic to a prospective QUT supervisor. You may also ask a prospective supervisor to help you identify or refine a research topic.
Found 33 matching student topics
Displaying 13–24 of 33 results
Combining solar and vibration energy harvesting for rainfall prediction
Rainfall prediction plays a crucial role in various sectors such as agriculture, water resource management, and disaster preparedness. Traditional prediction methods often rely on complex meteorological models and expensive equipment. However, advancements in energy harvesting technology offer the opportunity to develop low-cost and sustainable solutions for rainfall prediction.This project proposes to leverage solar and vibration energy harvesting for rainfall prediction. Combined measurements from both solar and vibration energy harvesting can provide comprehensive data for real-time monitoring of cloud coverage and …
- Study level
- Honours
- School
- School of Information Systems
Do people really intend to adopt renewable energies? Exploring the consumer adoption paradox
Consumers generally express positive attitudes towards renewable energies, recognizing system values such as environmental benefits and sustainability advantages (Zhang et al., 2024). However, the actual adoption and use of renewable energy services may not align with their expressed preferences.This paradox stems from various customer value-related barriers, such as high upfront costs, limited awareness, and concerns about reliability or convenience, which hinder widespread consumer adoption of renewable energy solutions (Jridi et al., 2016).In this project, we analyse the consumer adoption paradox …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
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Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology
Convergence of virtual reality (VR) and digital twin technologies to enhance energy resilience
A convergence of virtual reality (VR) and digital twin technologies can provide multifaceted benefits like digital learning processes, generating a collaborative ecosystem between technological and human assets (Martínez-Gutiérrez et al., 2023). When digital twins are adopted, they can provide sustainable energy solutions, such as energy efficiency optimisation or renewable energy integration (Coelho et al., 2024).In this project we investigate the adoption of digital twins and how this can drive the sustainable energy transition in VR environments from a cognitive computing …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Data Science
Gamification and serious games to encourage behavioural change in energy consumption
Games have become an integral part of our lives, which is why they are increasingly being used for other purposes than pure entertainment, such as learning, training, informing, or advertising (Degirmenci, 2017). While gamification uses game elements in non-game contexts, serious games are full-fledged games, both aiming to create meaningful engagement and foster desired behaviours (Degirmenci, 2023; Degirmenci and Breitner, 2023).In this project, we investigate how gamification and serious games can help to encourage behavioural change in energy consumption to …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
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Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology
Climate justice: analysing eco-equity in the energy market
Climate justice aims at sharing the benefits and burdens of climate change equitably between individuals and communities, regardless of their socioeconomic status, geographic location, or other demographic factors (Upham et al., 2022). Yet, ethnic minority populations are disadvantaged, for example, with rising energy costs and limited access to renewable energy sources, such as African Americans in the United States (Nature Energy Editorial, 2020) or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia (Cain, 2024).In this project, we analyse eco-equity as a …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
-
Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology
Trust in renewable energy
Trust is a complex, multi-dimensional concept that plays an essential role in any context where there is interaction among different parties. Three dimensions are integral for a profound understanding of trusting beliefs: competence, integrity, and benevolence (Mayer et al., 1995). Due to the contingencies and dynamics of the renewable energy transition, trust is a critical factor in communities (Walker et al., 2010).In this project, we investigate the multiple dimensions of trust in the context of renewable energies and provide recommendations …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
-
Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology
Understanding energy demand behaviours in Internet of Vehicles (IoV) systems
The internet of vehicles (IoV) plays an important role in the internet of things (IoT) value system. IoV enables vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications through enhanced connectivity and data-driven decision-making. However, given the importance of energy infrastructures in IoV systems (Shen et al., 2021), the role of energy demand behaviours is yet overlooked.In the context of electric vehicles as low-emission consumer energy resources (Degirmenci & Breitner, 2017), V2V and V2I networks improve the communication with other vehicles and charging …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Data Science
Customer messaging for energy behaviour change in smart homes
Queensland has committed to the rapid transformation of its energy systems in the coming years, with the 2022 Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan targeting 70% renewable energy usage by 2032 (Queensland Government, 2022). While the implementation of the plan has the potential to deliver major environmental and economic benefits for the state, it carries significant technological and social challenges.Critically, it requires effective communication with customers to ensure uptake of target consumer energy resources (CERs) like electric vehicles, home battery storage, …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours, Vacation research experience scheme
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre(s)
-
Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology
Energy efficiency, climate change and the energy consumption practices of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) consumers
Supporting people to be responsible consumers and managing energy consumption is a key focus for delivering energy efficiency and tackling climate change in Australia. Furthermore, in an era of rising energy bills and increasing inflation, performing energy efficient behaviours and promoting efficient homes can save money, and improve comfort, health, and well-being.However, while considerable attention has focused on the development of policies and programs targeting low-income consumers to become energy efficient, there is a need for increased focused on how …
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Business and Law
- School
- School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Justice
Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology
Energy-efficient blockchain using a variant of Python
Studies find that BitCoin will soon consume more power than the entirety of Australia. BitCoin’s energy consumption is nearing 200 terrawatt hours (TWh), while Australians consumed 192 TWh in 2020.Blockchain platforms such as BitCoin and Ethereum employ a Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus and blockchain management algorithm, which relies on a computationally expensive cryptographic puzzle. While PoW provides a strong security guarantee in a truly decentralised and public network, it comes at the cost of significant computation. This, unfortunately, does not provide …
- Study level
- Vacation research experience scheme
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Computer Science
Bio-production pathways: how much greenhouse gas emissions can be saved with bio-products?
The climate emergency is spurring a new generation of products and manufacturing industries with low or net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon footprint). This will include the manufacture of bio-products (bio-fuels, bio-plastics, bio-materials, bio-chemicals) from biomass (residues and wastes from agriculture, forestry, food waste etc.). It will be particularly important for Queensland, due to its ideal climatic conditions for growing biomass to support a bio-based manufacturing industry. These new industries will need information about the net GHG emission savings from …
- Study level
- Vacation research experience scheme
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy
Bio-based Olympics for Brisbane 2032: what would a carbon-neutral Olympics look like?
The aim of this project is to investigate how bio-based products (i.e. next generation materials made from biomass rather than fossil fuels) could be incorporated into the energy, transport, consumables and infrastructure used for the Brisbane Olympic Games 2032.The Olympic Games in 10 years will be the opportunity to promote Queensland’s capacity for bio-based manufacturing. Manufacturing bio-fuels, bio-plastics, bio-materials, bio-chemicals from biomass (residues and wastes from agriculture, forestry, and food waste etc.) is an important part of decarbonising the economy …
- Study level
- Vacation research experience scheme
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy
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