College of Science & Engineering

Sophia Love

Sophia Love

Romain Vaucher

Romain Vaucher

Jenny Fisher

Jenny Fisher

Ambili Narayanan

Ambili Narayanan

Sarfaraz Ali

Sarfaraz Ali

Mikaeylah Davidson

Mikaeylah Davidson

Liuxin Chen

Liuxin Chen

Rafael Cabral Carvalho

Rafael Cabral Carvalho

Tom Lloyd

Tom Lloyd

Mohamadreza Chalak Qazani

Mohamadreza Chalak Qazani

Tully-Johnstone wetland project
HanShe Lim
01 Nov 2023 - 31 May 2024
This project is built on an extension project funded by the Great Barrier Reef foundation to Terrain NRM. Terrain NRM contacted JCU to collaborate on a small study to better understand the partitioning of water, using radon measurements as a way to quantify groundwater contributions to the constructed wetland in Innisfail.
Jaragun wetland restoration research
Nathan Waltham
21 Apr 2024 - 27 Feb 2026
Complete wetland research with Jaragun in wet tropics, including oyster and freshwater ecology research.
Monitoring of avian influenza in samples collected from aquatic birds in North Queensland (2024)
Paul Horwood
17 May 2024 - 31 Jan 2025
At least 576 fresh faecal samples from wild ducks and magpie geese will be collected as environmental samples in the Townsville region. Swabs in transport media and immediately transported to the laboratory. Samples will be pooled and nucleic acid extracted. The extracted nucleic acid will be screened using assays based on TaqMan that will detect avian influenza. Pools that react will be individually extracted and tested. Avian influenza isolates will be checked using TaqMan specific for H5 and H7. Should the samples react in these assays it will be sent to AAHL for further testing and the CVO will be notified. Sequencing on all isolates other than those reacting in H5 and H7 will be carried out to determine genotype and to confirm pathotype.
Ecosystem Risk Assessment: new solutions to the global biodiversity crisis (Old ID 26808)
Nicholas Murray
14 Feb 2019 - 14 Feb 2023
This project aims to develop a typological framework for the world's ecosystems, and undertake the first broadscale global risk assessment for ecosystems. It also includes detailed Australian risk assessments and scenario analyses to develop sustainable management of ecosystem services and climate adaptation strategies. The outcomes include the first global-scale framework for classifying terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the first global Red List of Ecosystems an didentified priorities for protecting Earth's remaining wild ecosystems and restoring those that have suffered degradation. These advances will support progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals. The case studies will significantly benefit on-ground action.
An Advanced Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility in Queensland (Old ID 27154)
Ron White
01 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021
The project aims to establish a world-class ultrafast laser spectroscopy facility to investigate how molecules interact with visible or ultraviolet light. Light-matter interactions are key to energy generation in nature through photosynthesis as well as technologies we use on a daily basis including optical communications and displays. This project expects to generate new knowledge in on how light interacts with matter at the molecular level. Expected outcomes of the ultrafast spectroscopic measurements will be understanding the fate of light absorbed by or generated in different materials. Application of the knowledge gained will enable the design of materials for more efficient technologies such as solar cells, lighting, and sensors.
A global standard for the status of Wetlands of Interatnional Importance (Old ID 26809)
Nicholas Murray
30 Jun 2019 - 30 Jun 2024
The project will develop and test a new global standard for the assessment and reporting on ecological condition of internationally important wetlands, listed aunder the Ramsar Convention. It has four aims: establishment of a strategic adaptive management and governance framework, a meta-analysis of the 2,303 internationally listed wetlands, development of a protocol for assessmetn and prediction and delivering a digital reporting platform for effective management. The project is significant because it tackles the decline of freshwater ecosystems, by targeting the most prominent wetlands. It also assists state and national governments to meet their obligations under the Ramsar Convention and most importantly guides more effective management.
A customised triple-beam microscope for precise fabricating/characterising (Old ID 27325)
Yang Liu
26 Jul 2021 - 01 Jan 2024
This project aims to establish a customised triple-beam microscope to enable precise fabrication and polishing (using ion beams) and characterisation (using electron beam) of a wide range of advanced materials. It will provide solutions to prepare ultra-high quality and artefact-free specimens for transmission electron microscopy studies, and allow fabrication of unique nanostructures and nanostructured templates for high-performance applications. The customised features of the proposed instrument are the first of its kind in Australia. The new knowledge developed through this project will significantly impact on scientific insights and practical applications of new materials related to physics, chemistry, biology, geology and engineering.
Towards a consolidated and open-science framework for restoration monitoring (Old ID 27770)
Nathan Waltham
01 Sep 2021 - 30 May 2022
This project will undertake a national review of marine and coastal restoration monitoring programs to build a database of the data collected, frequency, and how the data is used to assess restoration success. The project will provide recommendations for monitoring requirements for future restoration projects, to assist in a more coordinated and publicly available data framework.
Collaborative science for monitoring of Northern Territory marine megafauna (Old ID 27097)
Alana Grech
30 Jul 2020 - 30 Jul 2023
This project will be a partnership between Indigenous rangers (Gumurr-Marthakal Rangers, Larrakia Rangers), national park managers (Kakadu National Park and Cobourg Marine Park) and scientists (Charles Darwin, Macquarie, James Cook and Edith Cowan Universities, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Taronga Conservation Society) to provide fundamental information on the ecology of northern Australian marine megafauna to design and support collaborative regional biodiversity monitoring programs that inform effective environmental management. We will conduct cutting edge seascape genetics and movement ecology research to map population connectivity and critical habitat areas and collaboratively develop methods for ongoing data collection, sharing and analysis. We have dual aims of developing (1) the best science for conservation management and decision making for marine megafauna and (2) the most appropriate approaches for cross-cultural and trans-disciplinary collaboration with Indigenous Traditional Owners and managers.
Exploring the impact of reproduction rates on carbon footprint in southeast Australian dairy herds
Saranika Talukder
01 Jul 2021 - 30 Nov 2022
The project aimed to quantify the potential improvements in greenhouse gas emissions through improved reproductive rates in North Victoria and Gippsland dairy region.
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: Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF), Australia
Reseracher: Simon Das (Research Fellow - Grouper Nutrition)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2027
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: 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