Faculty of Science SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY

2018

RESEARCH PROJECTS AND STAFF AREAS OF EXPERTISE FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN HONOURS AND MASTERS

ThefollowinglistoutlinesthestaffresearchinterestsandprojectofferingsforprospectiveHonoursandMastersstudentsin2018.Someoftheprojectsmaybesupportedbygrants–youshould contactthestaffmemberinvolvedtofindoutmoreinformation.Althoughthelist wasdevisedoriginallyforHonoursprojects,mostareadaptabletotheresearchproject componentoftheMSc(Geography).Ifyouareunfamiliarwithanyofthe academicsbelowbutareinterestedintheirresearchtopicareas,youare stronglyencouragedtocontactthem.

ProfessorJonBarnettjbarn@unimelb.edu.auJon is interested in supervising topics relating to social vulnerability andadaptationtoclimatechangeinAustralia,thePacificIslands,andEast Asia.Heisalsointerestedinresearchondevelopmentand/or environmentalissues in the Pacific Islands; climate change and food security;environmentalchangeandmigration;andwaterresource managementinthePacificIslandsandEastAsia.

A/ProfSimonBatterburysimonpjb@unimelb.edu.auSimonhasabackgroundinphysicalandhumangeographyandworksoninterdisciplinary environmental and development problems. He isinterested in a broad array of projects in environmental politics, ruraldevelopment and political ecology and is happy to devise projects inconjunctionwithprospectivestudents.Formoreinformation,gotohiswebpage.NotethatSimonwillbeunavailablein2018

A/ProfDavidBisselldavid.bissell@unimelb.edu.auDavidisinterestedinsupervisingtopicsrelatingtohowdifferentpracticesoftravelaretransformingpeopleandplaces.Hisownresearchexploresthisthemethroughfourprojects:understandinghowcommutingistransformingurbanlife;howformsofmobileworkwherecoupleslive‘togetherapart’arechangingoursensewhat‘home’is;howmobiledigitalplatformssuchasUberandDeliverooarechangingproduction,consumptionandgovernanceinthecity;andhowautomationandroboticsarechangingthefutureofwork.Ineachoftheseproject,heworkswithsocialtheoriesthatcanhelptobetterunderstandthecomplexitiesofcontemporarypowerandpolitics.Davidwouldbedelightedtohearfromstudentswhoareinterestedinpursuingprojectsrelatingtoanyaspectsofcities,mobilities,digitaltechnologiesandlabour.

DrSangeethaChandra-Shekeransangeetha.chandra@unimelb.edu.auSangeethaisapoliticaleconomicgeographerinterestedinhowlargecomplex(socio-)technical systems undergo change over time. In particular she isinterested in questions of state power and capital accumulation ininfrastructure governance.Her researchhas focusedon energy (electricityspecifically),climatechangemitigationandgovernanceinVictoria,CaliforniaandSouthAfrica.Somepotentialprojectsinclude:• Thefutureofelectricitynetworks• Whoownsandwhoshouldownsmartmeterdata?Whobenefitsfrom

smartmeterdata?• Inequalityand‘smart’cities• Thechallengesforincentivisingenergyefficiency• TheTasmanianenergycrisis• Whataretheenablingconditionsforrenewableenergyindustries?• Insuranceandthefinancialisationofclimatechangerisk

A/ProfPeterChristoffpeterac@unimelb.edu.auPeterisapoliticalscientistwhoseresearchpredominantlyfocusesonthepoliticsandpolicyofclimatechangemitigationandadaptationin AustraliaandtheAsia-Pacificregion.Hisrecentresearchhasalsodealt withotheraspectsofenvironmentalpolicy(energy,consumption,and sustainability)atlocalandgloballevels.Heisinterestedinsupervising thesesrelatingtotheseareasandtopics.

DrSimonConnorsimon.connor@unimelb.edu.auSimon's research analyses the relationships between humans andecosystems in the past. Potential projects include: understanding pre-European fire regimes and plant diversity in Western Victoria; humanimpactsonislandecosystems;theeffectsofgrazingonvegetationintheKimberleys; and long-term biodiversity trends in some of the world'sbiodiversityhotspots(Caucasus,Mediterranean,SouthernAfrica).

DrBrianCookbrian.cook@unimelb.edu.auBrianisinterestedinsupervisingstudentsexploringtopicsrelatedto floodmanagement,risk,knowledge,and/orhumanvulnerability.ProposalssituatedinAustralia,Bangladesh,India,theUK,andPortugal arewelcome,thoughothercontextsmaybepossible.Brianhasexperiencewithbothquantitativeandqualitativeresearchmethods,for exampleincludingprojectsthatexplorefloodimpactsonhomesorperception-basedanalyses.Brian’s recent researchhasemphasisedthe ‘power-holder’or ‘decision-maker’,leadingtoresearchfindingsthat explorehowfloodmanagementoccursandhowthepeoplemaking decisionsrationalisewhattheydo.Thistypeofresearchemphasiseswhobenefitsandwhoisnegativelyaffectedbyfloodmanagement practices; ultimately, this informs critiques aimed atsocialjusticeandappreciation forthedisproportionateimpactofdisasters

on (oftenalready) vulnerable individuals. As part of theseprojects he hascollaboratedwithNGOsinthe developinganddevelopedworld.Alternately,hehasexperiencewith analysesatthelocalscalethatexplorehowpeopleexperience,perceive, andunderstanddisasters.Overall,hisresearchtendstousecontroversiesasentrypoints,allowing foranalyses that prioritise the multiple, entwined understandings that fuelcontroversy, rather than attempts to ‘uncover a solution’. Thesemethodologiescanleadtopolicy-relevantfindings,anditishopedthat futureprojectswillfollowasimilarpath.Brianasksthatstudentsseekingsupervisionconsider:1)whatintereststhem,2)whatskillstheywishto develop,and3)howthisprojectfitswiththeirwideraspirations.Itishopedthatprojectswillhavepurposeandwillbestudent-driven.

Potentialtopicsmightinclude:• Analysesoffloodmitigationeffortsbyindividuals,communities, groups,

orlocalgovernmentinthecontextofthe2011Victorianfloods.• Controversy over the Victorian desalinisation plant (Wonthaggi

DesalinationPlant)andquestionsovertechnicalinterventioncomparedtoindividualbehaviouralchanges.

• Flood management in Bangladesh, India, or the wider Ganges-BrahmaputraBasin.

• The role of scientific knowledge within flood management relative to‘alternate’ knowledges such as local, indigenous, or perceptions frompeoplewhohaveexperienceddisasters.

Forfurtherinformation,pleasegetintouchwithBrianwhoishappytodiscusspotentialideas.

ProfessorBarbaraDownesbarbarad@unimelb.edu.auOurfreshwaterecologyandbiogeographygrouphasavarietyofprojectsonofferthattackleallsortsofideasandtheoriesrelatingtobiologicaldiversityinriversandstreams.Theseprojectswillappealtothosewhowanttogetout

and do fieldwork rather than just use existing data sets or do desktopmodelling.Projectsvaryintheamountoflaboratoryandfieldworkneededand can be adapted to different types of interest. Most projects areconnectedwithoneof two,on-goingAustralianResearchCouncil grants(see below). However, alternative suggestions for projects are alwayswelcome!Please seemywebsitehttps://barbaradownes.wordpress.com/ formoreinformation.

Improving the biodiversity of streams damaged by land clearance foragricultureThe project is supported by an ARC Linkage grant, and involvescollaborationwithMelbourneWaterandtheArthurRylahInstitute(StateGov.Dept.ofEnvironment,Land,Water&Planning).Projectsynopsis:Manystreamshavebeendamagedbylandclearanceforagriculture,which has resulted in less detritus (leaves, bark,wood frombankside vegetation, which provides food and living space for aquaticspecies) entering streams. Additionally, many streams have been de-snagged,whichhasremovedthecapacityofstreamstoretaindetritusinsitu, which may explain low species diversity in these streams. In thisproject, we will test hypotheses regarding the relations between theamountof riparianvegetation,wood loadingandchannelcharacteristicsandhydrologyonthecapacityof thestreamtoretain in-streamdetritus(e.g.bylogs,branches,etc.).Wewillalsobeconductingamulti-riverfieldexperimenttotestwhetherincreasedretentionimprovesdetritusdensitiesandhencethebiologicaldiversityofstreams.1.HowdoesretentionvaryinrestoredVictorianstreams?Youcanbuildon some research that has developed a method for measuring naturalretention in streams to test hypotheses about the relation betweenretentionandaspects likewidthandextentof riparian zones in streamswhereefforthasbeenmadeoverthelastdecadetorepairthevegetationof riparian zones (e.g. byMelbourneWater). Thiswill provide away of

testingtheeffectivenessofriparianplanting.2. What is the role of drift dispersal? Assess the role of drift dispersal(dispersal of invertebrates in stream currents) in bringing aboutimprovements in biological diversity by measuring the rate of arrival anddeparture at experimental sites compared to controls. Theoretically,experimentalsiteswillaccumulateindividualsinsearchofresources(higherarrival thandeparture rate)whereascontrol siteswill shownosucheffect(arrivalanddeparturerateswillbeequivalent).3.Whatistheroleofadultdispersalandrecruitment?What is the role of adult dispersal and egg-laying in bringing aboutimprovementstobiologicaldiversityratherthanthemovementofanimalsinthedrift?Weknowsomespeciesofinsectslaytheireggsonbarkandwoodsoestablishmentofthesespeciesmaybedonethroughadultflightbetweenstreamsratherthanbydriftdispersal.ExplainingspeciesdiversityinafractalworldThis project is supported by an ARC Discovery Grant and involvescollaboration with Prof Steve Rice (Loughborough University, UK) and DrRebeccaLester(DeakinUniversity,Warrnambool).Projectsynopsis:Acentralquestioninecologyaskshowhabitatpatchinessinteracts with dispersal abilities of different species to determine speciesdiversityinparticularlocalities.Anewmodelinecologyproposesthatfractals(a clever way of measuring environmental complexity) can capture bothhabitatpatchinessandspecies'responses.Iftrue,thenmeasuringthefractaldimensionsoflandscapesandthedispersalabilityofspecieswillhelpexplainthediversityofspeciesthatshouldbepresent.Wewilluseaquatic insectsthatlaytheireggsaseggmassesonemergentrocksinstreamstotestthisnewmodel. Various projects are possible looking at egg distributions andfractaldimensionsinrivers.Thefollowingtwoprojectsarealsofeasible:1.Howdoesemergentrockavailabilitychangewithdischarge?Emergentrocksaremorelikelytobefoundinrifflesandthusarespatiallyvariablealong

channels,butavailabilityisalsostronglyrelatedtodischarge.Canwemodeltherelationbetweenemergentrockdensity,waterdepthsanddischarge?Are these relationsalso fractal innature?Off-the-shelfhydraulicmodelsare unlikely to work inmany streams that do not have “well-behaved”riffle/pool sequences, necessitating alternative approaches. It isanticipatedyouwouldworkwithtimelapsecamerasinstalledatfieldsites(capableof takingpicturesatnightaswellasduring theday)anddepthsensorstodevelopamethodforcalculatingemergentrockavailabilityovertimethatcanbecalibratedwithdischargevariation.Projectwouldbeco-supervisedbySteveRice.2.Usingdispersalmetricstounderstandaltitudinalgradients inspeciesdistributions and diversity Species distribution patterns are associatedwith altitudinal gradients, and this is certainly true for stream-dwellingaquatic insects. Some speciesonlyoccur at high altitude locationswithcoolertemperatures,andthesecoolstreamsmaybeviewedas“islands”ina sea ofwarmer, low altitude habitats. This raises interesting ecologicalquestionsaboutthedispersalabilitiesofspeciesrestrictedtohighaltitudesandtheconnectivityoftheirpopulations:Aretheymorelikelytobegooddisperserswithwell-connectedpopulations, leadingtostrongsimilaritiesbetweenhighaltitudecommunities?orpoordispersersthatavoidtheriskofbecoming“lost”intheseaofunsuitablehabitat,potentiallyresultinginstrong differences between communities? These questions are also forimportant predicting the impacts of climate changebecause global (andlocal) rises in temperature mean that high altitude species may beparticularlyvulnerabletohabitatchange/loss.Measuringdispersaldirectlyis very difficult, butwe candevelopmetrics that are proxymeasures ofdispersalability.Manystreaminsectshaveaterrestrial,flyingadultstage.Wing morphology is correlated with flight capability (i.e. dispersalcapability),sowecanusewingmorphologytodevelopdispersalmetrics.Inthisproject, you canmakeuseof existing samples tomeasure thewingmorphologyofmanyinsectspecies(particularlycaddisflies)fromarangeofsitesatdifferentaltitudes.Youcanalsocollectyourownsamples.Youwill test hypotheses about the relationships betweenwingmorphology,putativeflightabilityandthealtitudinalrangesofspecies.

A/ProfRussellDrysdalernd@unimelb.edu.auRussell is interested in the study of changes in Earth’s climate andenvironment,particularlyover the last5millionyears (thePlioceneepochandtheQuaternaryperiod).Hisprincipalfocusisextractinginformationonpast rainfall, temperature and plant activity from geochemical proxiespreservedinspeleothems(cavecarbonatedeposits,suchasstalagmites)andcorrelating these changes with data from ice sheets, ocean and lakesediments, and climate models. Russell’s projects usually involve at leastsome fieldwork and always involve analytical work. Therefore, field andlaboratorytrainingareprovided,inadditiontotheintellectualskillsacquiredfromaproject.Russelloperatesastableisotopelaboratoryandworksinclosecollaborationwith the heavy isotope laboratory in the School of Earth Sciences, whereradiometricdatingisconducted.Currently,heisparticularlyinterestedinthestudyofpastwarmintervalsinEarth’sclimatehistory(i.e.theinterglacialsofthePleistocene,aswellasthePliocene)andwhattheymighttellusabouttheenvironmentalresponsestoawarmingplanet.Hecurrentlyhassamplesforthis work from Italy, France, Portugal and a number of Australian sites.Anotherareaofinterestisinvestigatingtherolethatclimateplayed(ifany)in the demise of Australian megafauna in southern Australia. This wouldinvolve the collection and analysis of samples from Naracoorte Caves (S.Australia), from where megafauna disappeared about 40,000 years ago.Finally, he is interested to hear from students who might prefer to doexperimental work involving the development and application of newanalyticaltechniquesinourfield(e.g.thedetectionofbushfiressignaturesinstalagmites). Some chemistry would be useful here, though not essential.SuchaprojectmightinvolveabriefperiodoflabworkatanotheruniversityinAustraliaorabroad.

DrJaneDysonjane.dyson@unimelb.edu.auJaneisasocialgeographerworkingbroadlyaroundissuesofsocialchange,gender,inequalityanddevelopment.SheworksparticularlywithchildrenandyoungpeopleinIndia,onissuesrelatingtowork,education,environment,migration,loveandmarriagepractices,geographiesoffriendship,andethnographiesofinfrastructureintheGlobalSouth.HerownworkisbasedinruralIndia,butsheisinterestedinsupervisingstudentsworkingonissuesinSouthAsiaandtheGlobalSouth,morebroadly.

DrMichael-ShawnFletchermsfl@unimelb.edu.auMichaelspecialisesinenvironmentalreconstructionusingmicrofossil,stableisotope,geochemicalandsedimentanalyses.HehasongoingresearchprojectsinAustralia,NewZealandandsouthernSouthAmericaandisespeciallyinterestedincontrastingandcomparing SouthernHemisphereenvironmentalchangesovermultipletimescales andplacingthesechangeswithinregionalandglobalcontexts.Currentprojectsinclude:Australianbushfires:whatdriveslongtermtrendsinbushfiresinsouthernAustralia?Currently,climaticconditionsassociatedwiththeElNiño-SouthernOscillationareakeyfactorinthefrequencyandmagnitudeofsouthernAustralianbushfires,butweknowverylittleaboutwhatdrivesbushfiretrendsoverlonger,multipledecadesorcenturies, time-scalesinthisregion.Thisprojectwillseektodocumenttrendsin bushfirehistoryrecordedinlakesedimentsbyanalysingchangesinthe amountofcharcoaldepositedthroughtimeinsensitivelylocated Tasmanianlakes.Thisprojectwillprovideinformationvitaltothe understandingofwhatfactorsinfluencethefrequencyandmagnitudeof bushfiresinthispartofsouthernAustraliaovertime-scalespreviously invisibletoAustralianlandscapemanagers.

DoesAustraliaplayballwhenitcomestoglobalclimatechange?Ourclimatechanges,whetherdrivenbyhumanactivityand/ornatural process,andwemustdevelopanunderstandingofhowtheAustralian climatesystemrespondstoglobalshiftsinclimateifwearetosuccessfullyadapttonewclimaticscenariosonouruniquelandscape. ReliableclimatedatainAustraliabarelyspansacentury,yetmost significantshiftstheglobalclimatesystemoccurovermultiplecenturiesormillennia.ThisprojectwillseektounderstandhowpartofsouthernAustraliarespondstoglobalclimatechangebyanalysingchangesinmicrofossilcompositionthroughtimeinlakesediments.Theprojectwill focusonhigh-altitudelakesedimentsinsouth-westTasmania,aregion criticallylocatedbetweenthemajorclimatesystemsinfluencingsouthern Australianclimate.Iamalsoopentodiscussionaboutotherprojectsthatfocus environmentalchangeinthesouthernhemisphereovertime.NotethatMichaelwillbeunavailablein2018

ProfessorLesleyHeadlesley.head@unimelb.edu.auMyresearchexamineshuman-environment relations,bothconceptualandmaterial.Thatis,Iwanttounderstandhowhumanshavephysicallychangedearth’ssystems,howwethinkaboutourplaceinnature,andhowthesetwothings are connected. In recent years I have worked mostly in culturalgeography,with projects on backyard gardens,wheat and invasive plants.ThisdevelopedfrommyearlierresearchonAboriginallanduse,ethnobotanyandfire. Iamparticularly interested insupervisingstudents intwocurrentARCfundedprojects:Sustainability and climate change adaptation: unlocking the potential ofethnicdiversityThis project explores diverse ways of understanding and engaging withAustralian environments. It is based on an understanding that IndigenousAustralians,Anglo-EuropeanAustralians,andrecentmigrantsfromacrosstheglobe, all have unique and valuable environmental understandings andcapacities.Weareinterestedinbetterunderstandinghowthesediversesets

of knowledge, andunique skills, shapepeople’s interactionswithurban,peri-urban,ruralandregionalAustralianenvironments.ItwouldbegreattoextendthisprojectwithMelbourneorVictorianexamples.ThesociallifeofinvasiveplantsInvasivespeciesarenowrecognisedasoneoftheleadingthreatstoglobalbiodiversityandtheviabilityofagricultureandotherhumanenterprises,buttheyhaveusuallybeenstudiedfromanecologicalratherthanahumanperspective. This project focuses on relationships between people andinvasiveplants.Theresearchaimistoprovideinnovativenewperspectivesby tracing and connecting the cultural, social, economic and ecologicalprocesses inwhich a number of introduced species are understood andmanaged across a range of environments. Again, it would be great toextendthisprojectwithMelbourneorVictorianexamples.Ideally,studentsin this project will have done some biogeography as well as humangeography.

DrRachelHugheshughesr@unimelb.edu.auRachel is a human geographer with interest and expertisein cultural geography, political geography and legal geography, aroundtopicssuchas:• place,spaceandlaw• criticalgeopoliticsapproaches• 'heritage'sitesofsoutheastAsia• theculturalpoliticsofmuseums• geographiesofcreativepractice• practice-basedresearch

A/ProfDavidKennedydavidmk@unimelb.edu.auDavid is a coastal geomorphologist specialising in the response of coastallandforms(particularlycoralreefs,estuariesandrockycoasts)toclimaticandenvironmentalchange.Anyprojectonthecoastinvolvingcoring,surveying,wave&current instrumentationandother fieldworkwillbeof interest tohim.Wehaveawiderangeofequipmentavailable forcoastal researchsopotentialprojectscancomefromgeomorphologicaltoprocessviewpoints.Ashort list of possible projects, available to both Honours and Mastersstudents,includes:StormresponseofbeachesanddunesinVictoriaLittleisknownonhowbeachesinVictoriarespondtostormsandwhatthismeansassealevelrises.ThroughthenewlyestablishedNationalCentreforCoasts and Climate this project will look at beach dynamics in severallocationsaroundVictoria.SeveralHonoursandMastersprojectsareavailablethroughthisnewCentre.WavedynamicsonshoreplatformsinVictoria.Usingthelatestwaveprobes,thisprojectwillexploretheenergytransfersthatoccuraswavesbreakacrossshoreplatforms.FieldworkiscoretothisprojectandinvolvesexperimentsbasedaroundLorneaswellastheMorningtonPeninsula.HighersealevelsinVictoria.AlmostnothingisknownabouthowmuchhighersealevelsinVictoriawereintherecentpast,yetsuchinformationisessentialforunderstandingfutureclimatechange.ThisprojectwillinvolvefieldmappingofhighstanddepositsaroundVictoria.Sedimentdynamicsinestuarymouths.UsingthelatesttechniquesinsedimentologythisprojectwillinvolvecoringofestuariesinVictoriatounravelquestionsrelatedtoacidification,entranceopeningandinfillrelatedtosealevelchange.

Basalticand/orcarbonateshoreplatformdevelopmentinPortPhilipandWesternPortBays.Thisprojectinvolvesinvestigatingthemorphologyofshoreplatformdevelopedinbasaltand/orcarbonaterockslocallyanddeterminingtheboundaryconditionsoftheirformation.Alltheseprojectsarefullyfunded;however,youcanalsocustomiseyourownstudy.IfyouareinterestedincoastspleasecontactDavidastherearemanyresearchopportunitiesavailableforhonoursandmastersstudy.

DrJan-HendrikMayjanhendrikmay@unimelb.edu.auHendrik(Henne)MayisageomorphologistwithafocusonQuaternarylandscapeevolutionintheSouthernHemisphere.Hismaininterestisreconstructingtheimpactthatclimaticchangeshaveonlandscape-scaleEarthsurfaceprocessesutilizingfieldandlaboratorymethodsaswellasremotesensingandGIS.HehasongoingresearchprojectsinseveralpartsofAustralia(e.g.FlindersRanges,lowerMurrayRiver,TopEnd)andcooperativeprojectsinNWArgentinaandChina.PossibleHScandMScresearchprojectsinclude(butarenotrestrictedto):TerminalfansandfandeltasatLakeFromeandtheirpaleoclimaticsignificance.TheterminationsofmanydrylandriversfeedingLakeFromearecharacterizedbythepresenceoflargeandcomplexfansystemswhichreflectthearrivalofflooddischargeandsedimentatthelakefloor.Duetotheerraticnatureoffloodingfrequencies,however,nothingisknownaboutpastvariationsindepositionaldynamics,ortherelationshiptolakefillingepisodes.Thisprojectisafield-basedassessmentofsedimentaryprocesses,stratigraphyandchronologyofterminalfansatLakeFromewiththeaimofreconstructingclimatedrivensedimenttransportfromtheFlindersRanges.FloodoutsalongtheFlindersRangesasrecordersoflateHolocenefloodhistories.FloodoutsreceivesedimentsanddischargefromdrylandcatchmentsallaroundtheFlindersRanges,andarethushotspotsfordiversity.However,nothingisknownabouttheirlonger-termdynamics,

eventhoughtheirroleassedimentsinkshouldmakethemvaluablearchivesforthereconstructionoflateHolocenefloodhistories.Thisprojectinvestigatesfloodoutdynamicswithremotesensing,sedimentologicalandgeochronologicalmethods.Usingsource-borderingdunestoreconstructthelateQuaternaryfluvialhistoryofthelowerMurrayRiver.ThelowerMurrayRiverdownstreamofMildurashowsaseriesoffluvialterracesandalluvialplainsthatattesttoepisodesofalternatingincisionandstability.Verylittleinformationexistsregardingthehydrologicalandsedimentarycharacteristicsofthesepaleo-rivers.Here,source-borderingdunesandsand-rampsalongthelowerMurrayofferpromisingbutsofarunexploredarchivesforthereconstructionoffluvialandaeolianprocessesovertime.Thisprojectlooksatusingfieldworkincombinationwithsedimentologicalandpedologicalmethodstounravelthedepositionalhistoryofthesearchives.WhatcandesertpavementstellusaboutpaleoenvironmentalchangeinAustralia’sdrylands?Inmostdustproducingregionsintheworld,onlyveryfewrecordsexistonlonger-termdustproductionanddeposition.DesertpavementsprovideanovelbutsofarunderstudiedarchivetoreconstructlateQuaternarydustdepositionandpaleoenvironmentalchangeinAustralia’soutback.Thisprojectlooksatthesedimentological,pedologicalandchronologicalhistoriesofdesertpavementsitesaroundtheFlindersRangestoinferepisodesofdustaccretionandthenappliesgeochemistrytostudyvariationsindustsources.

DrTeresaKonlechnerteresa.konlechner@unimelb.edu.auTeresaisacoastalgeomorphologistwithafocusonsandycoasts.Shehasaspecialinterestininteractionsbetweenvegetationandcoastalprocesses,andtheconservationandrestorationofcoastalsystems.Recentprojectshaveexaminedthesensitivityofsandycoaststoerosion,theimpactsofinvasiveplantsonsanddunes,measurementsofsandtransportandduneformation,andevaluatingthesuccessofdunerestorations.Sheisinterestedinsupervisingstudentsintopicsrelatedtothegeomorphology,ecologyor

managementofsandycoasts.Possibleprojectsinclude:SanddunerestorationinVictoriaThisprojectisincollaborationwiththePhillipIslandNatureParkandwillfocusonarecentlycommencedsanddunerestorationprojectatCapeWoolamai.FieldworkiscoretothisprojectandexpertiseinecologyandGISwillbeadvantageous.ForedunerecoveryfollowingstormsCoastaldunesprotectlow-lyingcoastallandandinfrastructurefromthesea.Thisprotectionservice,inpart,dependsontherateandprocessesbywhichdunescanrecoverfollowingerosion.ThisprojectwouldexplorethesethemesusingspecificcasestudiesontheVictorianCoast.InvasivecoastalplantsinVictoriaInvasiveplantssignificantlyalterthegeomorphologyandecologyofcoastalsystems.Therearemanypossibleprojectsavailableinthisareasincluding:theimpactofinvasivespeciesonestuarymouthdynamics,theimpactofinvasiveplantsonshorebirdhabitat,andtheprocessesbywhichinvasiveplantsalterhabitatsassociatedwithlargemobiledunes.

DrVanessaLambvanessa.lamb@unimelb.edu.auVanessawouldlookforwardtosupervisingstudentsinterestedinpressingenvironmentalproblemswhicharealsoofpoliticalandsocialsignificance.This includesresearchwhichexamines, for instance, theenvironmentalgovernance (particularly related towateror transboundary issues), thehumandimensions of environmental and climate change, social justiceandconservation,and/ortheunintendedconsequencesofdevelopment.Geographicalfocusisopen,butresearchisfocusedmainlyinSoutheastAsia(Cambodia,Myanmar,Thailand).A new project (with funding available) for an Honours student tocontributeto:sandmining.SandminingisaglobalUS$70-billionindustry.This project will focus on the issue of sand mining and its social andenvironmentalimpacts.Thesecross-borderflows,andtheirlocalimpacts,

areverymuchunderstudied,butpresently,sandisbeingextractedatlargevolumes in mainland Southeast Asia’s rivers and beaches for export toSingapore and other cities across the region. Interested students shouldsendabriefdescriptionoftheirresearchinterestsandrelevantbackgroundexperiences.

DrCeliaMcMichaelcelia.mcmichael@unimelb.edu.auCelia works on interdisciplinary research problems with a focus on:international health and development; and forced migration. She hasexperienceworking in the areasof environmental disaster andpopulationhealth (Sri Lanka), childhood infectious disease (Peru, Angola),water/sanitation/hygiene (WaSH) in low income countries (Nepal,Philippines), refugee resettlement and wellbeing (Australia), and climatechange and managed retreat/relocation (Fiji). Celia has experience withqualitative, quantitative and ethnographic research methods. She isinterested in supervising topics related to health geography and (forced)migration.

DrSarahMcSweeneySarah is a coastal geomorphologist who specialises in landform and processresponsetoenvironmentalchange.WhileSarah’smainresearchisfocusedonphysicalprocesses,sheisalsointerestedinhumaninteractionswiththecoast.Amain focus of her research is the entrance processes of estuaries thatintermittently close to the ocean. Entrance closure has a management andbiologicalinterestduetocatchmentflooding,poorwaterquality,andthelargeamounts of money spent artificially opening estuaries. Sarah has ongoingresearchprojectsinQueenslandandVictoriaandhasexperienceinrunningfieldbased projects including morphological surveying and sediment coring ofestuaries,beaches,andtidalflats.Sheisalsokeentoincorporatemodellingandspatialanalysisintoprojects(e.g.ARCGIS,Matlab).

Potentialprojectscouldinclude:Seasonalandstormdrivenchangeatbeachesandestuaries.Understandinghowlandformsrespondtochangingenvironmentalconditionsisimportantforcoastal planning. Using historic and current wave data, as well as fieldobservations,wecanbetterunderstandthemagnitudeofchangeassociatedwith storms and the timeframes for recovery. Field data collection couldinclude: morphological surveying, structure frommotion photogrammetry,grainsizeandsedimentanalysis.Entrance dynamics of intermittently open/closed estuaries. Intermittentlyclosed/openestuariesarewidespreadinVictoriawithawidescopeforprojectsavailable.TherearemanygreatfieldsitestochoosefromincludingestuariesatWilson’s Prom, along the Great Ocean Road, and through to the farwestVictoriancoast.Someideasforpotentialprojectsinclude:predictingnaturalopenings,drainageratesduringentranceopening,variabilityinbermheightovertime,changes inwaterquality/salinity,andwavepropagation intothebasin.Mappingchangesinvegetationandestuaryarea.Thistopicispartofawiderproject looking at changes in sediment delivery and infilling of the manytributary estuaries which drain into Moreton Bay (Brisbane), Queensland.Vegetationcaninfluencethetrappingandcyclingofsedimentwithinestuariesandisimportantfortheirlong-termevolution.SpatialanalysisusingARCGISwouldbeakeyskilltogainfromthisproject.Sarahisalsohappytotakestudentswhowanttocustomizetheirownprojectin any area of coastal geomorphology andmanagement. Some funding isavailableforfieldcostsassociatedwithprojects.

DrLisaPalmerlrpalmer@unimelb.edu.auLisa is a human geographer who teaches and researches on human-environment relationsand indigenousapproaches toenvironmental andsocialgovernance.Herresearchtakesacriticalecologicalapproachandis

focused on south-east Asia (particularly Timor Leste) and indigenousAustralia.SheiscurrentlyworkingonanARCprojectonSpritEcologiesandCustomary Governance in Timor Leste. She is interested in supervisingstudents in the area of post conflict development and difference andconservationandculturalenvironments.NotethatLisawillbeunavailablein2018

DrCatherinePhillipscatherine.phillips1@unimelb.edu.au

Catherineisahumangeographerwhoseresearchfocusesonhuman-environmentrelationsintermsofeverydaypracticesandenvironmentalgovernanceprocesses.Herworkcombinesmore-than-humangeographies,culturalenvironmentalstudies,andscienceandtechnologystudies,withfieldexperienceinCanada,SouthAfrica,andAustralia.Sheisinterestedinsupervisingstudentsexploringtopicsrelatedtoalternativeagricultureandfoodinitiatives,discard/wastestudies,andurbannatures(especiallyforests,soils,andpollinators),andishappytoworkthroughpossibilitieswithprospectivestudents.

DrAmyPrendergastAmy.prendergast@unimelb.edu.auAmyisinterestedinhowpeopleinthepastdealtwithchangesinclimate,extremeclimateevents,andnaturalhazards.Herresearchinterestsincludepalaeoenvironmentalproxydevelopment,palaeoenvironmentalreconstruction,human-environmentinteraction,seasonalshellfishforagingreconstruction,andnaturalhazards(particularlypalaeotsunamis).Forherpalaeoenvironmentalresearch,sheusesstableisotopeandtraceelementrecordsincombinationwithgrowthincrementanalyses(sclerochronology)frommolluscshellstogeneratehigh-resolutionrecordsofclimateandseasonality.Shefocusesongeneratingclimaterecordsfromarchaeologicalsitestofacilitatereconstructionsofhuman-environmentinteraction.Forher

palaeohazardsresearch,shestudiestheHolocenegeologicalrecordforevidenceofpasttsunamiandstormsurgeevents,primarilyviatheanalysisofsedimentcoresandtrenching.Sheisinterestedinsupervisingtopicsrelatedtoalltheseareasofresearch.Allprojectswillinvolvesomefieldand/orlabcomponent.Trainingwillbeprovided.

Somepotentialtopicsinclude:

• Developmentandcalibrationofnewhigh-resolutionseasurfacetemperatureproxiesforsoutheasternAustraliausingmolluscshellchemistry

• Landsnailchemistry:apotentialnewproxyforAustralianrainfall• Reconstructionofseasonalshellfishforagingpatternsfrom

AustralianAboriginalshellmiddens• Theroleofshellfishforaginginhunter-gathererandearlypastoral

societiesintheMediterranean• Reconstructionofhigh-resolutionHoloceneSSTrecordsinNew

Zealand• Understandingseasonalclimatechangeandhumanenvironment

interactioninsoutheasternAustraliaduringtheHolocene• WasthespreadoftheNeolithicintheMediterraneaninfluenced

byclimatechange?• WastheAustraliancoastlineaffectedbymegatsunamis?• Cangeochemistrydistinguishbetweentsunamisandstorm

surges?

Iamalsoopentodiscussionaboutotherprojectsthatfocusonenvironmentalchange,naturalhazardsandhuman-environmentinteractionovertime.

A/ProfIanRutherfurdidruth@unimelb.edu.auIanisageographerinterestedinwaterandrivers.Hisresearchareasarefluvialgeomorphology(whichistheroleofriversinshapingtheearth), andhydrology. He has a special interest in stream restoration, i nteractions

betweenvegetationandriverprocesses,andmanagementof riversystems(includingintegratedcatchmentmanagement).Athemethroughhisworkisunderstandingthephysicalprocessesofchangeinrivers,andespeciallyhowrivers respond to (and recover from) human disturbance. He ishappy tosupervise most Honours and Masters projects that relate to biophysicalaspectsofwaterandrivers,andhumaninteractionwithrivers.AsanindicationofhisinterestshepresentlysupervisesagroupofPhDstudentsworkingon:processes of river avulsions and anabranching, roles of vegetation in riverprocesses,designingminingriverdiversions,theroleofriparianvegetationinimprovingwaterquality,andrecoveryofstreamsfilledwithsand-waves.ExamplesofHonourstopicsinclude:Longtermimpactsofhistoricalgoldminingonrivers.WehavealargegranttoinvestigatehowVictorianrivershaverecoveredfromthemassiveimpactsofhistoricalgoldmining.Thisinvolvesworkingwitharchaeologists,chemistsandamultidisciplinaryteamtrackinglargevolumesofsedimentfrommining,includingwithmercurycontamination.Largewoodinrivers.Largelogsinriversarecriticaltothehealthof streams,buttheyhavebeenremovedfromriversintheirmillionsto increasefloodconveyance.Therearenumerous researchprojects availablearound largewoodandriversthatwouldsuitstudents interestedinphysicalandbiologicalprocesses.Movementoflargewoodinrivers. Large,deadtreetrunksarecriticalinthebiologicalandphysicalfunctioningofrivers.HowwoodmovesinAustralianriversispoorlyunderstood(especiallybecauseourtimberissodenseandrotssoslowly).Jamsofwoodunderbridgesalsorepresentamajorfloodhazard.Recentfloodsmoved large amountsofwood in rivers, and there are someexcellentprojectsavailableinthisarea.River avulsion processes. Most rivers experience changes of river coursewheretheriverquicklyorslowlymovesintoanewcourseonthefloodplain.Howthisprocessactuallyoccursrequiresplentyofinterestingresearch.WenowhaveabundantLIDARremotesensingdataforVictorianfloodplainsthatallowsseveral fantasticprojectmeshingGISworkwith field investigations.TargetfloodplainswouldbetheMurray,Ovens,andSnowyRivers.

Estuarymouthopening. Governments spend a large amount artificiallyopeningestuaries,but theyoftenclosesoonafterwards. APhDstudenthasrecentlycompletedagreatprojectontheartificialopeningofestuariesthat intermittently close. However, the role of river discharge in thisprocessremainspoorlyunderstood.Riparianvegetationandpropertyvalues.Revegetatingriparianareas (landalongstreambanks) isamajormanagementactivity.There is argumentaboutwhetherlandholdersincreaseordecreasetheirproperty valuesbyfencingoffstreams.Amultidisciplinaryproject!Theimpactofsmallandmediumsizedtownsonrivercondition.Therehasbeenahuge amountof researchdoneon the impacts of large cities onstreamswithinthatcity(e.g.theeffectofMelbourneontheYarra).Thisresearch shows that streams are dramatically affected by stormwaterfromsmallareasofdirectlyconnectedimpervioussurfaces.Bycontrast,therehasbeenlittleworkdoneontheimpactofsmallandmediumsizedtownsonrivercondition.Mostsmalltownsarelocatedonawaterwayofsometype.Thisprojectwould(a)explorethespatialdistributionoftownsinrelationtothespatialdistributionofriversandstreams(b)Theimpactoftownsontheriver,inparticularchannelisationforfloodmitigation,andtheimpactofstormwateronthestream.Notethatfundingwouldbeavailabletosupportfieldworkandother costsassociatedwithmostprojects.

DrKateShawkates@unimelb.edu.auKate’sresearchlooksatculturesofcities–athowandwherepeoplelive,workandplay.Questionsofaccessandaffordabilityarecrucial to thesechoices.She’sespecially interested inplaceswhere land isnotput to its‘highestandbest’(economic)use–placesthatarevaluedmorefortheiruse than their potential exchange. If they are notmaximising economicreturn,theyarelikelyavailableforrelativelylowrent,andthisenablesallsortsofactivitiestoflourish.Theseplacesencourageuseforproduction,

notjustconsumption,andcanbethemostinterestingandengagingplacesinacity.

Hercurrentprojectfocusesonurbanrenewalinthe21stcentury,exploringwaysofimprovingontherenewalprojectsofthelast50years.Itislookingatthe jurisdictionalcapacities forbuildingsocialequityandculturaldiversity:the legislative, regulatory, financial, political and cultural barriers to andfacilitators of socially equitable urban development. Where policy andplanning interventions do succeed in making a city more interesting,equitableanddiverse,howandwhy?

Her background is in alternative cultures, with particular interest inMelbourne’slivemusicandindieartsscenes.Sheadvisesgovernmentsandcampaignsonlocalplanningandpoliciestomaintainthem.AtthemomentsheisDeputyChairoftheCityofMelbourne’sCreativeSpacesworkinggroup,amember of theVictorian State government’s livemusic roundtable, andadvisortotheCityofSydney’slivemusictaskforce.

Kate is interested insupervising theses thatengagewithquestionsaroundurban renewal, gentrification, housing markets, social equity, culturaldiversityandurbanpolicy.

ProfessorMarkWangmyw@unimelb.edu.auMark is interested in supervising topics relating to urban / development /environmentalissuesinEastAsiaandChina.Thefollowinglistprovidessomeofthepotentialprojects:• China’sSouth-To-North-Water-Diversionproject• EnvironmentalordisasterrelatedresettlementorpovertyalleviationresettlementinruralChina• UrbandemolitionorlandacquisitioninChina• UrbanrestructuringinChina

• Newgenerationofmigrantworkers:Social/spatialmobilityandskillaccumulation• Urbantransitionandnewurbanspaces:globalisationanditsimpactoncities• otherdevelopmentandenvironmentalissuesWehavemanylocalcontactsandgoodaccesstothefieldsitesandinformants.Plusmanyotherpossibilities.

DrIlanWieselIlan.wiesel@unimelb.edu.auIlan is an urban geographer, specialising in the processes that producespatialadvantageordisadvantageforpeoplelivingincities,andtheagencyofdifferentpeopleand‘socialgroups’fromdiversesocial,economicandcultural backgrounds - from the very-low-income to the super-rich – intheseprocesses.Ilanisinterestedinboththeoreticalandappliedresearchthataimsto informhousingpolicy,socialpolicyandurbanplanningthatwillreducesocialinequalityincities.

37/36