Peter Doll

I'm a Research Fellow and Lecturer in the College of Science and Engineering at James Cook University. My research aims to connect ecological theory with conservation impact and centres on the biology and ecology of coral reef organisms, including corals, fishes, and echinoderms. I'm particularly interested in how the world's reef ecosystems function and respond to major disturbances, including climate-driven mass coral bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks. To deliver impactful field- and lab-based projects at JCU, I have secured significant funding as a sole and Co-PI (AU$ >1M) and publish much of my work in broad-audience journals such as Current Biology, Biology Letters, OMBAR, and Nature Reviews Biodiversity. My current research projects are supported by various government and philanthropic grants, including the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program, the Big Blue Ocean Foundation via the Australian Museum LIRRF, and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. As part of my recent and ongoing research programs, I lead interdisciplinary and cross-institutional projects, field expeditions, experimental teams, and working groups, which include Traditional Owners, government agencies (incl. CSIRO, GBRMPA, AIMS), partner universities (e.g., UTAS, LMU), and industry partners.

I'm a JCU Primary Advisor and AIMS@JCU supervisor who is passionate about high-quality teaching, mentorship, and building an inclusive scientific community working towards lasting scientific and societal impact. I have considerable JCU- and AIMS-based research mentorship experience, including the successful supervision of seven PhD, MPhil and Research Masters student completions to date (13 total; 3 PhD, 3 MPhil, 8 MBM). I commit much time to JCU-based teaching, high school outreach, expert reviews (e.g., NSERC, AAA), and serve on professional and EDI committees (e.g., ARC CoE CRS JEDI, AMSA-NQ Council). For the past three years, I have taught more than 120 JCU students per year in the under- and postgraduate courses MB3190 & MB5190 (Coral Reef Ecology), including the preparation and delivery of lectures, pre-labs, marking, and running field trips, lab practicals and statistics workshops. Through promotion of equitable research practices, supportive mentorship, bridging disciplines, and stakeholder engagement, I aim to foster an inclusive and productive research environment to deliver innovative science and tackle to coral reef crisis.

Ongoing grant funding can facilitate a wide range of field-based student projects (BSc Hons, Masters, MPhil, PhD), particularly at Lizard Island and along the Great Barrier Reef. There are also ongoing opportunities for laboratory-based AIMS@JCU student projects I co-supervise with collaborators at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Get in touch!

1. Climate extremes, biodiversity change, and the future of Anthropocene coral reefs
   
2. Effects of major disturbances (e.g., mass coral bleaching, CoTS outbreaks) on reef ecosystems 
   
3. Impacts of climate and environmental change on marine organisms, including reef fishes
   
4. Biology, ecology and management of crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS)
   
5. Larval settlement and recruitment of marine invertebrates, particularly echinoderms
   
6. Molecular-based methods and other innovative approaches to tackle conservation challenges
   
7. Science for management, policy & community (e.g., MPAs, pests, fisheries incl. coral fishery)