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

Reducing impacts of threatened, endangered, and protected species in the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery
Naomi Gardiner
01 Jul 2024 - 10 Apr 2026
This project collaboration with QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) seeks to reduce the impacts of trawl fisheries on marine species of concern in Queensland. In particular sea snakes, sharks and rays. The objective of the JCU part of the program is to develop and trial (1) a crew member observer program (CMOP) and, (2) training in safe handling practices of seasnakes.
Optimising Transmission Grid Planning and Operations in North Queensland
Jiajia Yang
21 Jun 2024 - 01 Jan 2027
The power sector is transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables, emphasizing decentralized systems. Meeting rising renewable energy demands necessitates enhanced operational flexibility. This project focuses on optimizing planning and operations for transmission grids, particularly in North Queensland. The goal is to boost overall power system efficiency by intelligently integrating renewables. Anticipated outcomes include cost-effective planning, flexible grid operations, advanced forecasting, renewables integration modeling, and improved Distributed Energy Resources (DER) visibility. These achievements align with Powerlink's contributions to the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and the transformative Copper String Project, aiming to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy for generations.
An evaluation of the chemical composition and invitro methane production of novel legumes and a plant bi-product
Saranika Talukder
01 Jul 2024 - 31 Dec 2025
Our proposed research aims to explore novel tropical plants, with a particular focus on legumes, and their in vitro fermentability, methane production, and chemical composition. Through the evaluation of various leguminous pasture plants and plant products, our goal is to pinpoint those with the potential to mitigate methane production in northern livestock. This preliminary investigation will position us favourably to pursue larger, more comprehensive grant opportunities through Australian Government and industry funding bodies. The project will produce impactful publications and scientific insights into in vitro research, and the nutritional profiles of investigated legumes and plant products. With global warming and greenhouse gas emissions at the forefront for both government and industry priorities, ongoing interest in research within these fields guarantees continued opportunities for larger project calls and the expansion of related research capacity at JCU.
Rare earth corrosion inhibitors in hydrogen production and storage systems
Peter Junk
01 Jul 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
This project is an internally funded project for a near miss ARC Discovery Grant, which was within 10% of those who missed. This project addresses corrosion and embrittlement of steel in hydrogen storage facilities, a new dimension in the world-wide multi-trillion dollar problem of the corrosion of steel. With the emerging hydrogen economy, new infrastructure for hydrogen storage will need to be constructed. It has been recently found that hydrogen gas can decompose to hydrogen atoms on the surface of the steel on the inner lining of storage vessels, and impregnate the infrastructure, and therefore compromising the integrity of the high pressure storage vessels. Defects in hydrogen storage facilities can therefore lead to catastrophic failure of hydrogen energy infrastructure. The project will enhance the capacity of rare earth carboxylate corrosion inhibitors, which are an inexpensive and green solution, to mitigate both corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of steel, and provide an understanding of the protection process. The benefits of this project will ultimately be a new bulk use for Australia’s abundant rare earth resources and new chemical manufacturing to produce the inhibitors. The project aligns with JCU’s major theme of “Industries and economies in the tropics” particularly relevant with the proposed Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub, a $70M Australian Government investment. Furthermore, the rare earth metals are classified as critical metals, and the project aligns with the Critical Metals Trailblazer project. The project requires bulk amounts of corrosion inhibitors for assessment. The most expensive items are lanthanoid salts (all REs required) for the synthesis of lanthanoid carboxylates. Listed costs for rare earth chlorides and nitrates follow as examples, but carbonates and acetates are required for optimising procedures. The metal costs are (quotes are for the least expensive to most expensive chlorides and nitrates): lanthanoid chlorides range from $209/100g for CeCl3 to $1580/5g for ScCl3 while nitrates are $127/100g for Ce(NO3)3 to $975/5g for Sc(NO3)3. For optimum inhibitor systems, all 16 rare earths will need to be. For brevity, we do not quote all prices here, but chlorides total ca $5800, while nitrates total ca $4400. Organic supporting ligands are estimated to cost ca. $3,000. Analysis costs are included below. Travel to Melbourne is planned to meet with our Monash and Deakin collaborators to draft the next grant proposal.
Characterising the complete reproductive proteome of two high-value aquaculture species using advanced proteomic techniques
Jarrod Guppy
19 Jun 2024 - 31 Dec 2024
This 2024 CSTFA Early Career Researcher Development project combines the multidisciplinary skills (applied reproductive biology and proteomics) of two of CSTFA ECR’s, Dr Jarrod Guppy (CSE) and Dr Shaymaviswanathan Karnaneedi (CPHMVS). This project will apply proteomics for the study of the reproductive biology of two commerically important finfish species. This will provide critical information to guide the development of improved and novel breeding techniques these aquaculture species.
Enhancing Groundwater Discharge Detection for Improved Water Quality Research and Coastal Management
Mahmood Sadat Noori
01 Aug 2024 - 31 Dec 2024
The funds will be used to purchase equipment that will allow cutting-edge multidisciplinary research linking hydrology, soil sciences and water quality to support several academics at JCU.
Autoclave for the Northern Australia Plant Biosecurity Facility
Daniel Montesinos Torres
01 Jul 2024 - 31 Dec 2024
The ARC-LIEF funded Northern Australia Plant Biosecurity Facility is to be built during 2024, procurement process is ongoing. The effective approval as a federally recognised quarantine facility requires the purchase of an autoclave to be located within the quarantine glasshouse, as per BC2 quarantine regulations. The proposal's funding was reduced on approval and funding for this essential piece of equipment is lacking.
NESP 4.10 - Derisking Nature Repair
Nathan Waltham
01 Mar 2024 - 30 Sep 2026
Research with Australian Government, Universities, industry and NGO to map out a framework to derisk the nature repair market for Australia
Biodiversity, biogeography and molecular evolution on tropical reefs
Peter Cowman
01 Jun 2017 - 01 May 2020
award
Taxonomic assessment of corals in the Australian Indian Ocean Territory
Peter Cowman
01 Jan 2023 - 01 Dec 2023
grant

Supply-side ecology works both ways: the link between benthic adults, fecundity, and larval recruits

Taxonomic revision of Australian Myrsinaceae: Ardisia Sw. and Tetrardisia Mez

Ecological consequences of forest fragmentation in the Amazon

Buried lava flows crossing the Great Divide in north Queensland: discovery using magnetic methods, and implications for hydrology

Heterosis in fingerlings from a diallel cross between two wild strains of silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)

Decreased genetic diversity and a reduced effective population size in cultured silver-lipped pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima)

Isolation and characterization of 16 microsatellite loci in the humbug damselfish, Dascyllus aruanus (family Pomacentridae)

High levels of intra-specific variation in the NG repeat region of the Pinctada maxima N66 organic matrix protein

Genetic structure across the GBR: evidence from short-lived gobies

Defining fundamental niche dimensions of corals: synergistic effects of colony size, light, and flow

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: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Led "Super Gurus" team on the CSIRO ON Prime #15 program from 03/03/2024 to 25/06/2024 conducting customer discovery for the “Digital Twin Student” Educational Technology Project.
Reseracher: Kranthi Addanki (Lecturer, Information Technology)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2024