The Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES) provides eligible students with the opportunity to participate in a research project. If you're interested in research and thinking of pursuing a research degree the scheme is an opportunity to see if research is right for you. Further information about the scheme is available on HiQ.
QUT offers a diverse range of student topics for VRES. Search to find a topic that interests you.
Found 182 matching student topics
Displaying 85–96 of 182 results
Can we understand horizontal identity using gene-culture evolution models?
Can we understand horizontal identity using gene-culture evolution models?Some human behaviours seem hard to square with biology. The 2019 Christchurch mosque shooter is currently serving a life sentence; nevertheless, a network of online communities venerate him, providing support for people who aspire to carry out similar attacks and producing media to inspire it. At least 27 attacks since then have been partly inspired by the Christchurch shooter, every one ending in the perpetrator's imprisonment or death. Here lies the puzzle: …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Mathematical Sciences
Mapping cinema as cultural and community infrastructure in Australia
This project invites 1-2 VRES students to work with QUT researchers to help develop Australia's first National Cinema Observatory, a proposed national research initiative examining cinema as cultural and community infrastructure in Australia, including its role within Australia's planning, cultural policy, and regional development frameworks. The project asks how Australians access cinema, how cinema infrastructure is spatially distributed across metropolitan, regional, and remote communities, and how cinemas contribute to cultural participation, social connection, and community life.The topic is interdisciplinary, drawing …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Creative Arts
Quantum inspired optimization for wind farm cable design
Quantum optimization in wind farm cable design is an emerging research area where quantum computing techniques are used to solve complex layout and electrical design problems that are difficult for classical methods.
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Electrical Engineering and Robotics
Beyond Creditor Return Maximisation: Incorporating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Public Interests into Australian Corporate Insolvency Law
To what extent should Australian corporate insolvency law move beyond a creditor-centric approach to accommodate environmental, social and governance (ESG) public interests?This research project examines whether Australian corporate insolvency law, traditionally focused on maximising creditor returns, should evolve to better accommodate environmental, social and governance (ESG) public interests. ESG reflects a broad shift away from viewing corporations as entities solely concerned with shareholder or creditor returns, and a shift from traditional creditor/debtor insolvency paradigms. It focuses upon wider public policy …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Business and Law
- School
- School of Law
Identifying faecal pollution sources in Gymea Bay Bath using low-cost sensors and microbial source tracking
Gymea Bay Bath is a public swimming site that has experienced recurring faecal contamination in previous years, as reported through the Beachwatch program. Coonong Creek is the direct upstream creek draining into Gymea Bay Bath and is therefore a likely pathway for contamination entering the bathing area. However, the current monitoring program, which is conducted weekly in summer and monthly in winter, does not provide sufficient spatial or temporal resolution to identify the exact pollution pathways or distinguish between potential …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computational methods for modelling piezoelectric wave energy converters
The piezoelectric effect, discovered in 1880, is the phenomenon by which some materials generate a voltage in response to an applied mechanical stress. Piezoelectric transduction holds significant potential for harvesting energy from the ambient environment, and of particular interest is the potential of these materials for harvesting the energy present in ocean waves. Such piezoelectric wave energy converters are well-suited to ocean monitoring situations and will reduce the present reliance on environmentally unfriendly lithium-ion batteries.Hydroelasticity is the study of how …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Mathematical Sciences
Data-Driven Insolvency Prediction and the Director Duty to Prevent Insolvent Trading under s588G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
How could data-driven insolvency prediction tools inform liability arising from 'reasonable grounds for suspecting' insolvency under s588G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)?This research project examines how emerging data-driven insolvency prediction tools could inform, and/or influence the assessment of, directorial liability under s588G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).Section 588G provides a duty upon Australian directors to prevent insolvent trading by the company. It applies if a director fails to prevent a company incurring a debt in circumstances where:- the …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Business and Law
- School
- School of Law
Sign Language Video Generation
Auslan Assist is a multidisciplinary project in the field of sign language technologies. It aims to develop an automated public announcement system that generates real-time messages in Auslan via a digital avatar. The end goal is a two-way translation system that would also allow Auslan users to sign to information screens and receive an automatic response in Auslan.A core element of such a system is Auslan generation. Emerging AI technologies, including video generation and style transfer, offer opportunities for sign …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Computer Science
Computational methods for multi-physics and multi-phase topology optimisation
Topology optimisation facilitates the computational design of material layouts to maximise design performance subject to physics constraints expressed as partial differential equations. Owing in part to the considerable growth in additive manufacturing, these methodologies have become key design tools in structural design, aerospace, and robotics. The figure below shows an an example of topology optimisation for fluid-structure interaction.With recent developments in multi-phase additive manufacturing, it is now becoming possible to manufacture components that are made of several distinct materials. Multi-physics …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Mathematical Sciences
Regulating Reporting of Travel for Organ Transplantation
Transplantation of organs offers life-saving treatment to individuals living with a range of life-limiting illnesses. However, a shortage of organs available from deceased and living donors means that many people are unable to benefit from transplantation. Where organs are scarce, individuals may seek to access a transplant outside of their home country – either via the illegal black market, ‘transplant tourism’, or through legitimate means. However, the extent of international travel for organ transplantation (ITOT) is largely unknown due to …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Business and Law
- School
- School of Law
- Research centre
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research
Creating a toolkit to build empathy for designers
Despite empathy being included as a phase in "design thinking" processes, existing empathy tools for designers are simple and easy to use but can easily be completed based on assumptions rather than knowledge about a person. For example, empathy mapping does not address the depth – or time - required to develop genuine, felt empathy and focuses on filling in boxes for a specific user or group during a project rather than developing an empathetic mindset in design students and …
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre
- QUT Design Lab
Can AI Be Your Security Consultant? Exploring Cyber Risk Assessment with LLMs
This project investigates how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can help automate cyber security risk assessments using the Australian Essential Eight Maturity Verification Tool. Students will explore techniques for analysing security evidence, interpreting compliance requirements, and generating assessment outcomes using AI. The project combines cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and software engineering, providing hands-on experience in developing intelligent tools for real-world security and governance challenges.
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Information Systems
- Research centre
- Centre for Data Science
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If you have questions about the Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES), the application process, finding a topic or anything else, get in touch with us today.