Coastal water quality, Coral and Seagrass habitats of tropical Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef

Coastal water quality, Coral and Seagrass habitats of tropical Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef

Advisor/s

Dr Nathan Waltham, A/Prof Michael Rasheed

College or Research Centre

College of Science & Engineering; The Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research

Summary of Project

Coastal water quality and marine habitat health continue to be impacted by landscape and climate change, over complex spatial and temporal scales in Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef.  Managers critically need access to relevant data to make the best decisions for protection and restoration of coastal ecosystems impacted by water quality.

We are seeking a high-achieving graduate with outstanding Masters or Honours results and ideally publication(s) to join our research team to investigate aspects of coastal water and habitat quality in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage lagoon.  The student will need to be familiar with traditional sampling technology and experimental approaches in marine science. Within the broad theme above there are a range of research topics that may be considered including but not limited to:

• Embracing advancing digital technology and sensor networks to monitor Water Quality, Seagrass and Coral
• Seagrass and/or Coral Resilience & Restoration
• Exploring green engineering solutions and marine habitat creation
• Developing stress indicators for seagrass and coral for management of anthropogenic impacts
• Developing spatial analysis tools and technology for monitoring coastal habitats
• Developing Blue Carbon Enhancement opportunities on the Queensland coast

Successful applicants will have access to substantial mentoring, operational and logistical support through an extensive established program of field work and award winning research projects conducted throughout tropical Queensland by the supervisors and their research team. The research is supported through the award winning North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) and James Cook University Science & Industry Partnership which provides a unique opportunity for the successful candidate(s) to see their research directly applied in solving real world issues and access to substantial resources through the partnership. Depending on the topic of interest there will be an option to be based at either the Cairns or Townsville Campuses of JCU.

Scholarships

Up to 2 fully funded scholarships are available depending on the topic of intended research.

How to Apply

Send a cover letter outlining your research experience, area of intended focus for your PhD, CV and examples of recent scientific publications and academic transcript to Dr Nathan Waltham (nathan.waltham@jcu.edu.au) and A/Prof Michael Rasheed (michael.rasheed@jcu.edu.au) by 10 June 2022.

Key Words

coastal water quality; coral habitats; seagrass habitats; Tropical Queensland; Great Barrier Reef; coastal ecosystems

Would suit an applicant who

is a high-achieving graduate with outstanding Masters or Honours results to join our research team to investigate aspects of coastal water and habitat quality in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage lagoon.  The student will need to be familiar with traditional sampling technology and experimental approaches in marine science.

Updated: 27 Apr 2022