Early Career Hub
Are you an Early Career Researcher or Professional working in sustainability? Keep up to date with our latest opportunities and sign up to our mailing list
Are you an early career researcher or professional studying, working or volunteering in the sustainability and environment sector?
Future Earth Australia has launched a new funding initiative to help students, researchers and professionals collaborate on Australia’s most pressing sustainability challenges.
Our Collaboration Labs (Co-Labs) bring together transdisciplinary and cross sector cohorts of Early Career Researchers and Professionals to collaborate on key sustainability challenges. These collaborations have real impact on our research project outcomes.
Future Earth Australia is pleased to present our Seizing Opportunities Awardees for 2023-2024. We awarded 15 Early Career Researchers and Professionals across institutions to support their wonderful projects. You can read about our Opportunities Fund, supported by Granders Trust, here.
Jessica-Anna Blakeway
Eqaulette sharks or walking sharks have a known distribution in the coastal waters of Northern Australia and New Guinea and surrounding islands. In November 2023, Jess and her team conducted a 16-day survey which successfully sampled 63 epaulette sharks across various habitats. The funding from Future Earth Australia supported Jess’s travel to join the vessel chartered through Conservation International for this survey. “This experience offered invaluable hands-on experience in sampling methods that I have since used to train in country partners, contributing to the long-term success of this project.” (Jessica-Anna Blakeway).
Ryan Borrett - Macquarie University
Ryan is looking to launch a special radio series or regular program that communicates agriculture science and sustainable solutions in Western Australia. Future Earth Australia supported Ryan's undertaking of a Radio Training Course hosted by RTRFM, a not-for-profit independent radio broadcaster based in Perth. The course included skills training in interviewing, presenting, scripting, editing and the logistics and regulation of creating and managing radio media. These skills have equipped Ryan as an effective broadcaster and science communicator.
Dr Larissa Braz Sousa
Larissa is a citizen science researcher and enthusiast exploring the learning outcomes of community involvement in scientific research. Her aim is to investigate the potential of citizen science to promote science understanding and environmental awareness through biodiversity monitoring initiatives such as ‘BioBlitz’. Future Earth Australia supported Larissa’s travel to the Sunshine Coast where she delivered five presentations, two oral presentations and participated in two panel discussions at the Australian Citizen Science Association Conference 2023.
Dr Souvik Lal Chakraborty
Souvik attended the “The Future of Palm Oil is Sustainable” conference in September 2023 at Monash University Malaysia campus – an event jointly hosted by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and Monash University Malaysia. Souvik’s participation created engagement pathways with academics and industry stakeholders in the Malaysian palm oil industry. “Because of these connections, I was able to conduct an intensive fieldwork from 5-21st November 2023 in Malaysia. During my fieldwork, I conducted interviews with farmers and other stakeholders to understand what kind of environmental problems the smallholder farmers are encountering and how they are tackling these challenges.” (Souvik Lal Chakraborty).
Emily Collins - University of the Sunshine Coast
Emily had the opportunity to present her Honorus research on dissolved organic carbon concentration and character in soil pore water and groundwater at the Petrie Critical Zone Observatory. This took place at the 2023 White Conference: Crafting a Science Agenda for Critical Zone Research in Perth, November 2023. Emily enjoyed networking with fellow researchers and received constructive feedback for future presentations. “The knowledge, experience, and connections I gained whilst at the 2023 White Conference are invaluable.” (Emily Collins).
Brianna Gordon - Australian National University
Brianna’s PhD research project investigates potential metal contamination from legacy gold mining in the former Tambaroora and Turon River Gold Mining District on Wiradjuri Country. Her research partners with Wiradjuri Traditional Owners to determine the quantity of metal contamination and the potential impact on Wiradjuri Country and culture. Future Earth Australia supported Brianna in purchasing materials to create an artwork that will visually communicate her research in an accessible and culturally informed manor.
Read our interview with Brianna to find out more here!
Dr Caitlin Kuempel - Griffith University
Caitlin travelled to Cape Town, South Africa to attend the 7th International Conservation Congress and give two oral presentations. Her presentations covered topics of cumulative impact in offshore energy sectors and the need and feasibility of the Fiji Coral Reef Resilience project. Through the congress, Caitlin connected with colleagues and opened pathways for collaboration with international entities such as the World Wildlife Fund and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association based in the U.S.
Julia Lennan - University of the Sunshine Coast
With the support of Future Earth Australia, Julia attended the Australian Marine Sciences Association conference in Hobart, Tasmania in September 2024. Julia was selected to present her Honours research on the topic: ‘Is the contemporary abundance of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hervey Bay (QLD) influenced by a warming ocean?’ The experience also included the Behind the Marine Science tour visiting laboratories and facilities at CSIRO, the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science, and the Australian Antarctic Division, including a visit to the Antarctic krill aquarium. “I left with new knowledge, connections, and a renewed enthusiasm for my research.” (Julia Lennan).
Dr Maureen Murphy - University of Melbourne
In December 2023, Maureen presented to the Agri Food Research Network conference in Hobart on 'Food security and food system livelihoods: tensions and challenges for resilience'. The presentation drew from research interview data collected from the Foodprint Melbourne building resilience project in 2020-21. This research showed labour shortages in agriculture, illness among food workers in the food processing and distribution industries, and shutdowns across the hospitality sector disrupted food supply chains and led to food insecurity. Future Earth Australia enabled Maureen to attend the event and build further connections in the agri-food space.
Khilda Nur - RMIT University
Coastal land reclamation (CLR) has become increasingly vital in addressing the challenges of urbanization and land scarcity, covering complex environmental issues, technological hurdles, and potential community conflicts. Khilda’s paper, “How Urbanization Drives Socio-Spatial Conflicts in Coastal Land Reclamation?” investigates the socio-spatial conflicts across various levels of cities in Indonesia, focusing on Jakarta, Makassar, and Denpasar. Future Earth Australia supported Khilda’s travel to present her paper at the 8th International Conference of Contemporary Affairs on Architecture and Urbanism, which was held in Alanya, Türkiye, on 8-9 May 2024. “This trip allowed me to explore World Heritage Sites in Turkiye, paving the way for my current and upcoming publications.” (Khilda Nur).
Drew Russell - University of the Sunshine Coast
Drew and her team conducted the first comprehensive health assessment of four dolphin species in the Sunshine Coast region by surveying lesions. Future Earth Australia supported Drew to attend a statistical skills course to analyse her findings and contribute to her Honours thesis. Dolphins respond acutely to changes in their environment, making them indicators of ecosystem health. Understanding the health of dolphin species can indicate anthropogenic threats and provide baseline data for conservation efforts.
Katie Turlington - Griffith University
The Seizing Opportunities grant enabled Katie and collaborator Colin Burke to undertake a project exploring the relationship between aquatic macrophyte (plant) restoration and underwater soundscapes in the Mid-Brisbane River. The project focuses on how restoring critical aquatic vegetation impacts the acoustic environment underwater. With the grant funding, Katie and Colin purchased seven acoustic recording devices to monitor both restored and unrestored areas. “The support provided by this grant has been invaluable in enabling us to develop expertise at the intersection of eco-acoustics and restoration ecology.” (Katie Turlington).
Read our interview with Katie to find out more here!
Dr Jackie Webb
The Seizing Opportunities grant contributed to a review paper led by Jackie with an international team of aquatic scientists. In October 2024 the manuscript titled, “Exploring uncharted waters: the role of artificial aquatic ecosystems in freshwater science”, was submitted to Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. “In this review, we advocate for greater recognition of artificial aquatic ecosystems (AAE) as a fundamental component of global freshwaters, and thus freshwater science. The grant funded the graphic design of Figure 1 in the manuscript, which is a representation of the modern hydro-scape, illustrating the breadth of artificial aquatic ecosystems that exist across rural and urban landscapes.” (Dr Jackie Webb).
Chamila Weerathunghe - Monash University
Future Earth Australia supported Chamila’s attendance at the State of Australian Cities Conference (SOAC) held in Wellington, New Zealand in December 2023. Chamila delivered a presentation on ‘Governing urban sustainability transitions: engaging low profile high impactful actors in food waste transition in metropolitan Melbourne’, which was received by Australian, New Zealand and Canadian government representatives. Chamila’s working paper on this topic will be published by the Urban Policy and Research Journal. “This grant made my participation in this conference possible so that I could network, present my research findings, and receive feedback for further improvement.” (Chamila Weerathunghe).
Dr Jenna Wraith
Jenna is a researcher advocating for conservation actions and water for the environment within the Murray-Darling Basin. Her project works closely with state governments, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, First Nations peoples, local landholders, and non-profit organisations. In June 2024 Jenna attended the Society for Freshwater Science Conference in Philadelphia, USA, with the support of Future Earth Australia. The conference gave Jenna the opportunity to network and collaborate with established researchers in the water conservation sector.
Congratulations to all Future Earth Australia Seizing Opportunities Fund Awardees for 2023-2024.