College of Science & Engineering

Ecological influences on biodiverse morphology in climbing geckos (Old ID 27210)
Lin Schwarzkopf - Zoology & Ecology
15 Apr 2021 - 30 Apr 2025
Ecological interactions are one of the main drivers of biodiversity generation. The influence of ecology on the morphology of organisms is one such interaction that influences the generation of biodiversity. Australian Diplodactyline geckos are some of the most morphologically and ecologically diverse systems in the world. They occupy a diverse range of habitats and have evolved unique toe pads enable the exploitation of several substrates within the habitats they occupy. Therefore, my project will investigate how toe pads have evolved in response to habitat use in Diplodactyline geckos. We will examine these relationships by studying habitat use and morphology, with locomotor performance as an intermediary link.
Development of Microflow Photochemistry and its Application in the Synthesis of Platform Chemicals of Pharmaceutical Importance (Old ID 20071)
Michael Oelgemoeller - Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
01 Aug 2013 - 31 Dec 2017
The proposal develops an innovative approach in organic synthesis. It combines organic photochemistry and microflow chemistry with novel lamp and LED technology. Advanced microflow reactor concepts based on microcapillaries or flow injection will be designed and applied in the synthesis of platform chemicals. LED-panels will be utilized as powerful, miniaturized light sources. Methods for parallel photochemistry and scale-up will be furthermore realized using important examples of pharmaceutical interest. The superiority of microflow photochemistry over conventional techniques will be demonstrated through comparison studies. Hence, microflow photochemistry will emerge as a concept, rapid and resource efficient synthesis tool.
Combined U-Pb zircon geochronology & Lu-Hf analysis of Jurassic-Cretaceous volcanics and sandstones from the Lord Howe Rise and Queensland Plateau, Australia (Old ID 22185)
Eric Roberts - Earth & Environmental Sciences
01 Aug 2015 - 31 Dec 2016
We prosed to combine zircon geochronology on putative Cretaceous volcanics reported in the DSDP Leg 21-207 and combine this with more ambitious dual Lu-Hf isotope and U-Pb isotope analysis on detrital zircons collected from a suite of Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentary rock samples in cores from DSDP Leg 21-206, 207, 208 and 209. This approach is designed to identify the distribution of ages and geochemical signatures associated with earlies Cretaceous-Jurassic age detrital zircons (and volcanics) in order to better understand the timing of Cretaceous-Jurassic volcanism, the possible provenance of Cretaceous-Jurassic volcanic sources and to glean a better understanding of the nature of the magmatism during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous along eastern Australia.
Mungalla Wetland System Repair (Old ID 22784)
Nathan Waltham - Marine Biology & Aquaculture
01 Oct 2015 - 30 May 2017
Coastal wetlands provide services important for aquatic wildlife. However, human need has contributed to modification and change to coastal wetland function. Government and community projects have commenced across the Great Barrier Reef catchment area to repair and revitalise coastal wetlands to, again, function as productive ecosystems, while still offering services for humans. A project has commenced, supported by Australian Government, to repair natural tidal flow and fisheries value to Mungalla wetland. This project herein will examine wetland aquatic ecology and water quality in response to broader system repair programs underway.
A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon (Old ID 23352)
Michael Bird - Earth & Environmental Sciences
01 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2018
This project will develop a National Facility for Pyrogenic Carbon Analysis. Pyrogenic carbon (biochar, soot, charcoal, black carbon) is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. It is also an important source of palaeoenvironmental and geochronological information. We will expand newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust, measurement of the abundance and isotope (13C, 14C) composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. The facility will advance multiple research agendas at nine participating institutions across palaeoecology, geomorphology, geochronology, archaeology and carbon cycle/ sequestration science
Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Reef Corals (Old ID 25127)
Tom Bridge - Marine Biology & Aquaculture
30 Jun 2018 - 31 Dec 2022
Coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth, and are strongly affected by comparative small changes in the environment. However, some coral populations have been shown to survive in habitats analogous to those predicted for later this century. This project will quantify how species diversity and their associated ecological traits vary along environmental gradients to understand how functional diversity varies among habitats. This information will enable better predictions of the functional composition of future coral reef ecosystems, and whether plasticity in functional traits may mediate the functional declines of reef ecosystems.
Understanding and improving rare earth corrosion inhibitors (Old ID 26335)
Peter Junk - Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
10 Feb 2020 - 30 Jun 2024
This project aims to investigate rare earth corrosion inhibitors by an interdisciplinary program of chemistry and materials science. The project will generate new knowledge as to how rare earth corrosion inhibitors function and can be improved. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of inhibitor induced protective films and improved inhibitors. Significant benefits are eventually better protection of infrastructure from corrosion with greener inhibitors and a new bulk use for rare earths to aid Australia’s emerging rare earth industry.
Palm Creen Greening Australia wetlands (Old ID 26406)
Nathan Waltham - Marine Biology & Aquaculture
01 Nov 2018 - 31 Aug 2019
Coastal wetlands are part of the broader Great Barrier Reef seascape and hold incredible environmental, cultural and economic value. This project will collect water quality and fish data to establish baseline conditions in Palm Creek, prior to coastal restoration works planned by industry partners. The outcomes of this survey and report will be presented to local community and will inform restoration decisions.
Strengthening the JCU-CSIRO Partnership with respect to emerging infectious diseases and biosecurity (Old ID 27710)
Paul Horwood - Vet Preventative Medicine
01 Jul 2022 - 31 Dec 2025
These funds will be used to strengthen the partnership between JCU and CSIRO to expand our collaborations on biosecurity in Northern Australia.
Bioacoustics of Asian black-spined toad (Old ID 27734)
Lin Schwarzkopf - Zoology & Ecology
01 Jul 2022 - 31 Aug 2023
This Project will extend the research of the original project by increasing the number of ABST calls recorded and improving understanding of the breeding and calling behaviour of ABST and improving surveillance (trapping and camera trapping approaches) for ABST. This Project will also facilitate provision of advice to overseas collaborators in undertaking studies of ABST under the first contract mentioned above. Additional complementary data collection and/or research areas may be undertaken by mutual agreement between the Department and the Collaborator.

Diet and genetics influence beef cattle performance and meat quality characteristics

Anti-infective and anti-cancer properties of the Annona species: their ethnomedicinal uses, alkaloid diversity, and pharmacological activities

Environmental impacts of abrasive blasting of transmission towers in protected areas

Pulse plasma deposition of Terpinen-4-ol: an insight into polymerization mechanism and enhanced antibacterial response of developed thin films

  • 2020
  • Springer
  • Researchers:Katia BazakaJeffrey WarnerMohan Jacob

Formation of mud clast breccias and the process of sedimentary autobrecciation in the hominin-bearing (Homo naledi) Rising Star Cave system, South Africa

Symbiodiniaceae probiotics for use in bleaching recovery

Utilisation and evaluation of cooperative case-based teaching for integration of microbiology and pharmacology in veterinary education

Trace element associations in magnetite and hydrothermal pyrite from the Geita Hill gold deposit, Tanzania

Submarine landslides along the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate margin of the Great Barrier Reef (offshore Australia)

Improving drinking water safety in recreational parks through policy changes and regulatory support in the Hunter New England region, NSW, Australia

Title: JCU reef scientist goes global after plumbing the depths, Townsville Bulletin
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 10 Nov 2024
Title: Deep dive: How I use robots to survey coral reefs, Nature
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 31 Mar 2025
Title: Bengali
Reseracher: Khandakar Faisal Ibn Murad (Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering and Related Technologies))
Title: English
Reseracher: Khandakar Faisal Ibn Murad (Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering and Related Technologies))
Title: Wet Tropics Management Authority - Scientific Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Nathan Waltham (Associate Professor, Blue Carbon)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: ARC Future Fellow ($680,000), Global Change: Rainforest responses to experimental drought
Reseracher: Susan Laurance (Professor, Personal Chair)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2014
Title: Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF), Australia
Reseracher: Simon Das (Research Fellow - Grouper Nutrition)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2027
Title: American Society of Naturalists
Reseracher: Megan Higgie (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2003
Title: PhD, James Cook University
Reseracher: Alana Grech (Professor)
End Date: 01 Jan 2010
Title: Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours), The University of Adelaide
Reseracher: Alana Grech (Professor)
End Date: 01 Jan 2003