Georgie Burgess and Kelly White
9 December 2025: From ‘Fostering Democratic Agency in the Age of AI’ to ‘Advancing sexual and reproductive health equity for multicultural men’, two researchers from the University of Canberra have each received more than $500,000 as part of the Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA).
The competitive $102.7 million grant program is run by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and had more than 1,500 applicants this year. The University’s Dr Hans Asenbaum and Dr Zelalem Mengesha secured two out of just 200 available grants.
Dr Mengesha, a public health lecturer based out of the University’s Health Research Institute (HRI) in the Faculty of Health has received $517,746 to investigate the advancement of sexual and reproductive health equity for men from CALD backgrounds.
“Men from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds experience higher rates of new HIV infections, they are less likely to access sexual and productive health services, and CALD couples are also more likely to experience unplanned pregnancy," said Dr Mengesha.
“So, it's a very important topic to research because we know that overall improved sexual health is linked to improved general health and wellbeing.”
Dr Mengesha will use advanced qualitative and mixed methods to provide participants with the agency to voice their concerns, including an innovative method of using an artist-based qualitative research methodology known as photovoice methodology.
“Study participants will use photographs to capture their lived experiences and perspectives which will then serve as prompts for focus groups and one-on-one interviews,” he said.
“Photovoice methodology is particularly important because some participants may have limited English proficiency so using visual methods enables their active participation and empowers them to discuss their experience despite language barriers.”
The project will be used to inform the development of gender-sensitive and culturally responsive policies and services that improve outcomes for CALD men and their families. It will also deliver economic, social, and cultural benefits, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable Australian society.
The results won’t be shared just through traditional methods such as journal articles and conferences. Dr Mengesha has planned to showcase the project in a digital exhibition of photos and stories collected throughout his research.
“This will allow us to translate the findings into an accessible format that engages with a broader audience, including CALD communities, healthcare providers, policy makers and international project partners, to enhance understanding and foster meaningful dialogue around the results,” he said.
Dr Asenbaum, Senior Research Fellow at the University’s Centre for Deliberative Democracy (CDD), received the coveted grant for his project Smart Democracy: Fostering Democratic Agency in the Age of AI.
“Artificial intelligence [AI] presents opportunities but also grave risks for Australian democracy, particularly in the digital sphere,” Dr Asenbaum said.
“Through deepfakes and social media bots, which spread disinformation and act as facilitators in deliberative forums, AI is becoming an active participant in democracy.”
The project draws on ethnography and participatory research methods to investigate how humans form social relations and emotional bonds with AI agents in democratic participation. It aims to foster democratic agency by enhancing emotional intelligence and critical reflection.
"Rather than factual knowledge, the project needs experiential learning on how AI works and how we can use it in an agentic manner," Dr Asenbaum said.
Responding to issues raised in a recent report by the Australian Parliament on civic education and political participation in Australia, Dr Asenbaum’s project is designed to enhance Australians’ capacity to understand and productively employ AI in democracy.
“The project will tackle this problem by generating the first civic guide to AI and democracy, providing a digital interactive platform to introduce Australians to AI hardware, algorithms, basic coding skills, AI use for democratic participation, detecting disinformation and deepfakes, and building productive AI-human relationships,” he said.
