Research Projects
Enhancing Frog Resilience to Natural Disasters: Determining Captive Husbandry Techniques for the Conservation of Threatened Frogs of the Wet Tropics.
This two- and half-year project aims to increase the resilience and drastically lower the risk of extinction of eight threatened frog species of north Queensland. The project will achieve this through: (1) Continued monitoring of long-term transects for these species. (2) Increasing our understanding around breeding ecology, environmental needs for survival and breeding, and better understanding the full extent of the impact by continuing to build on the long-term monitoring data. (3) Trialing captive husbandry and breeding with Least Concern, ecologically similar congeners, to greatly improving our ability to rapidly establish captive assurance colonies should the need arise under future environmental stochastic events.
Living Water RUIC: Crayfeed
The redclaw crayfish industry is positioned for growth since the hatchery supply has recently been debottlenecked. This project will address the next major bottleneck in feed supply. We have demonstrated on a lab-scale that there is a large scope for production improvement with improved nutrition, however this knowledge needs to be developed in the context of implementation.
This project will scope the existing feed supply and engage with the manufacturer around their capacity and limitations in production of improved redclaw feed. This will form the basis of further research design that will inform implementable changes to improve redclaw production.
Living Water RUIC: Crayfeed
The redclaw crayfish industry is positioned for growth since the hatchery supply has recently been debottlenecked. This project will address the next major bottleneck in feed supply. We have demonstrated on a lab-scale that there is a large scope for production improvement with improved nutrition, however this knowledge needs to be developed in the context of implementation.
This project will scope the existing feed supply and engage with the manufacturer around their capacity and limitations in production of improved redclaw feed. This will form the basis of further research design that will inform implementable changes to improve redclaw production.
Climate Extremes Data Scientist (Old ID 22196)
As climate variability increases, researchers are being asked about the role of extreme weather events in shaping the appearance of natural ecosystems, potential for species extinction and loss of biodiversity, the viability of agricultural production systems, and whether particular system thresholds have been or will soon be breached. Such information is essential for adaptation policy, planning and management as it provides insights into the direction and rate of likely change as well as the management challenges that might be faced. This project will address these "big data" issues.
Project Smiling Gecko CAMBODIA - What Gaps can we impact?
JCU's mission is to create a brighter future for life in the Tropics, and this project aims to increase JCU's impact on livelihoods in remote communities in SE Asia.
By working with NGO Smiling Gecko Cambodia (SGC) which supports the needy population in Cambodia, the team can contribute to their self sustaining, ecologically and economically vibrant activities that aligns with UN SDG goals 4(quality education), 12 (responsible consumption & production), 14 (life below water) and 17 (partnerships for the goals).
SGC runs a school for 500 students, a farm house resort that employs several hundred employees, grows food crops, and runs tilapia ponds at their 105-hectare site that benefits 30,000 Cambodians in surrounding villages. SGC is committed to continuing growth and seeking partnerships with universities to develop programs for the continuing education of its young community.
The team seeks to identify how we can partner with SGC to identify gaps where we can make a difference to the local population, and where we can make an impact on their operation by building capacity. We propose a 3 days/ 2 nights site study and stakeholder engagement in October 2025. The immediate output will be a blue print for our future work with SGC and other remote communities, how we participate in their continual growth and showcase as a working model for other remote communities in SE Asia. We will seek suitable future funding opportunities from international financial institutions such as the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.
Frantz Magnetic Separator
A Frantz Magnetic Separator is a fundamental piece of equipment for efficient mineral separation, by enabling separation of heavy minerals using their magnetic properties. This instrument directly contributes to workflows for geochemical analyses and geochronology being undertake in the AAC and supports critical minerals research at JCU.
Audio & Environmental Monitoring Equipment for Biodiversity
Proposed Use of Funds: To purchase a number of audio and environmental temperature monitoring units, to facilitate monitoring of animals and their environment for a range of collaborative projects in our group.
Is inositol a potential therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm? (Old ID 22440)
AIMS: Preliminary data demonstrate that inositol consumption limits experimental AAA development. This project builds on initial findings using the following aims: assess the ability of inositol to limit AAA growth (Aim 1) and rupture (Aim 2) in mouse models. SIGNIFICANCE: Identifying a drug to slow AAA growth and limit rupture has potential to improve patient care and reduce in-hospital costs associated with AAA management. OUTCOMES: This study will underpin competitive funding applications to the NHMRC and/or NFHMRI to further assess inositol status in human AAA patients.
Competency Renewal Project
We aim to characterise the competencies [knowledge, skills, attributes] required by public health graduates to effectively contribute to the workforce and meet existing and emergent public health needs.
● Identify and synthesise competencies required by public health graduates to address current and future public health requirements.
● Develop a preliminary framework mapping graduate competencies that may allow them to contribute to Australia's public health workforce effectively.
● Establish validity and conduct a formative evaluation of a national competency framework for public health graduates.
This programme of work will be conducted over three phases. A co-design approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods will address the overall aim and objectives.
Phase 1: Interviews: 3-4 months (aim end July 2024)
Phase 2: Competency extraction: 3-4 months (aim: end November 2024)
Phase 3: Modified Delphi: 4-5 months (aim: end June 2025)
NB: Timelines estimates based on the plan outlined below, accounting for iterative feedback from the CAPHIA community and governance decision making as well as summer break shutdown Dec 2-24 – January 2025.
Phase 1: Semi-structured interviews with public health industry experts will be conducted. Experts will include public health professionals, educators and academics, professional associations, employers working within public health organisations, government agencies, healthcare providers, and non-governmental community organisations within the field. Across all participant groups, semi-structured interviews will allow in-depth descriptions and open-ended discussions regarding the competencies required by public health graduates to effectively contribute to the workforce and meet existing and emergent public health needs.
[Phase 1 - Output – Comprehensive list of contemporary skills and knowledge required by public health graduate vis a vis the perceptions of multiple stakeholders].
Phase 2: This phase will extract competencies from existing health and public health competency frameworks. A search strategy will be developed to identify relevant frameworks. A global search will then be conducted. Following extraction, a framework synthesis will guide the analysis and triangulation of the interview data and new data derived from the existing public health-related competency frameworks. Once an association between themes is determined, public health graduates' skills, knowledge and attributes will be grouped under overarching competency domains. These domains will form the preliminary framework, including individual competencies and competency descriptors.
[Phase 2 – Output – A preliminary competency framework - a synthesis of new and existing competencies relevant to the public health workforce [including graduates] in 2024]
Phase 3: A modified Delphi technique will be used as an accepted method of building consensus among public health experts regarding the acceptability and applicability of the preliminary competency framework. The Delphi process will involve i) recruitment and consenting of participants to the Delphi panel and ii) two rounds of consultation on the proposed competency framework. Finally, a formative framework evaluation will be conducted via focus groups with public health experts. As part of this final step, the utility of the competency framework as a contemporary best practice public health competency framework for Australasia will be assessed.
[Phase 3 – Output – A validated competency framework that characterises the knowledge, skills, and application public health graduates will need to contribute effectively to the workforce and meet existing and emergent public health needs].
Developing a National Health Commissioning Training program
Developing National Commissioning Training Program that provide a foundational training program to staff working at the Primary Health Networks across Australia and Department of Health, Disability and Aging