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Add mountains and shake: fault and earthquake pattern controls in active plate boundaries. (Old ID 27639)
Transpressional mountain building occurs when tectonic plate boundaries undergo shortening and shearing parallel and perpendicular to the plate boundary. Such regions are characterised by mountains, interacting fault networks, earthquakes, volcanoes and ore deposits. We aim to determine the fundamental physical processes that link topography, seismicity, volcanism and the evolution of fault networks in these mountain belts. This work will: determine fault patterns, seismic and volcanic hazards in transpressional mountain belts, determine how seismicity modulates fault pathways, determine how high topography affects fault networks, seismic and volcanic unrest, and provide a new framework for mineral exploration at these plate boundaries.
Exploiting a wound healing helminth granulin protein to treat diabetic ulcers (Old ID 22939)
Exploiting a wound healing helminth granulin protein to treat diabetic ulcers. It is estimated that 1.7 million Australians have diabetes and 100,000 are newly diagnosed every year. Of these diabetes pateients15% will suffer from non-healing wounds that cost on average $21,480 per patient per wound. I have shown a helminth protein names granulin, from the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverinni might hold the key to developing a highly efficacious wound-healing agent. I aim to evaluate fragments of this granulin protein for wound healing potential. This granulin treatment has the potential to alleviate suffering from diabetic wounds and decrease the AUD$14.6 billion burden of diabetics on the healthcare system.
Research Vessel for Shallow Water Capture (Old ID 23069)
An inflatable lifeguard vessel with fibreglass bottom is a great help for catching sea turtles in shallow inshore areas. The inflatable sides makes for greater safety for both turtle and catcher. Sick turtles tend to prefer shallow water.
NQBP & JCU Research & Monitoring Partnership - Seagrass and Coral Studies (Old ID 24715)
This project conducts long term assessments of seagrass and coral in the Ports of Mackay, Hay Point, Weipa and Abbott Point. The work forms part of a research and monitoring partnership between JCU and NQBP to monitor and assess marine environmental health within ports as well as support related research and education opportunities.
'Project 25' - farmers, water quality and on-farm decision-making (Old ID 24991)
Landholder concerns surrounding the credibility of broad-scale water quality monitoring and modelling initiatives in the GBR catchment area are one of the key cane industry engagement challenges for promoting significant farming practice change, and water quality improvements. Based around small, sub-catchment water quality monitoring in a key GBR cane growing region, Project 25 utilises a bottom-up approach to integrated sub-catchment monitoring and intervention to identify 'hot spot' sub-catchments through localised water quality monitoring. The Project emphasises industry ownership and control of monitoring design, and delivery of locally targeted water quality data and extension effort to facilitate practice change.
Applying Indigenous and western science knowledges to inform the sustainable management of a dugong and seagrass hotspot in the Girringun TUMRA (Old ID 27854)
Girringun Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) are deeply concerned about potential threats and reduced resilience for the coastal environment. This project will address knowledge gaps around dugongs and seagrasses that are core to Traditional Owner’s cultural identity and traditional values; critical to the cultural, natural, socio-economic values of the Girringun Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA) and Indigenous Protected Area, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the Hinchinbrook Island Dugong Protection Area. This project is a collaboration between GAC, seagrass and dugong experts from James Cook University, and Charles Darwin University to heal the Reef.
Caught in the canopy: can coral larvae navigate seaweed canopies? (Old ID 27922)
Hard corals and fleshy macroalgae are two major benthic components of corals reefs, and the competition between these two groups can shape reef trajectories. Where coral reefs have been degraded through anthropogenic influences (climate change and local factors), the competitive interactions between coral and macroalgae are often increased in frequency and intensity. Given the range of known negative effects of macroalgae on corals, and in light of the climate crisis, it has been proposed that manual removal of macroalgae could help boost coral settlement and resilience on a local scale. Indeed, recent research has shown that the physical removal of macroalgae can triple the resulting recruitment of coral juveniles and drastically increase coral cover, and hence is a viable strategy for active reef management. However, it is not yet known what macroalgal mechanism (biochemical or physical) prevents coral juvenile success. It is also not known what level of algal reduction is needed to achieve reef rehabilitation outcomes. In this project, field data and aquarium-based experiments using different densities and heights of macroalgae will determine how macroalgae canopies affect coral recruitment, and will explicitly test the hypothesis that a physical barrier is responsible for preventing coral juveniles access to reef substrate, and could explain wide- scale patterns in recruitment failure on reefs worldwide.
INVESTIGATION OF SLURRY PROPERTIES TO ENHANCE GOLD LEACHING (Old ID 30053)
This project with the Pajingo Mine involves thesis students solving industry related problems. The main objective is to optimise the production of gold covering 5 main aspects: - Investigate chemical additives to enhance the gold leaching - Determine the relationship between leaching rate and slurry density - Investigate chemical additives that could be used to reduce the slurry viscosity - Determine the relationship between particle size and viscosity for slurry with a P80 of 38microns down to a P80 of 10microns - Investigate ultimate settled density of tailings in a Tailings Storage Facility for tailings initially deposited at 40% solids and 60% solids
SAPOT Clinical Trial: Treatment in pregnancy to prevent malaria (Old ID 30066)
The project aims to provide the Papua New Guinea National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) and WHO with evidence to determine whether monthly intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) plus dihydroartemsinin-piperaquine (DP) is a safe and efficacious alternative to the current strategy of IPTp with SP to control malaria infection in pregnant women and improve birth outcomes.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Bio-Based Hydrogen Production in Gasifier-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems: Exploring Dry Reforming Materials for Enhanced Performance and Cost Efficiency (Old ID 31187)
This fellowship, sponsored by the Australian Government (AUD 90,000), will support my research project "Techno-Economic Analysis of Bio-Based Hydrogen Production in Gasifier-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems: Exploring Dry Reforming Materials for Enhanced Performance and Cost Efficiency." This initiative is hosted by Imperial College London, The University of Oxford, and the Henry Royce Institute in the UK. I intend to leverage this platform to foster collaborations with top-tier research groups, particularly in the realm of low-cost green hydrogen production. This aligns with James Cook University's aspirations to become a leading institute in delivering relevant research to industries operating in the Tropics.