Tall Poppy winners announced for 2021
Five University of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø researchers have won 2021 South Australian Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.
TheÌýTallÌýPoppy Awards, an initiative of the Australian Institute of Policy and Science, recognise the achievements of Australian scientists and their commitment to sharing their research and passion for science with the broader community.
The Environment Institue is proud to have a number of members included in the list including Dr Alice Jones, Dr Dominic McAfee andÌýfrom theÌýAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD),ÌýDr Hannah Wardill.
The five University of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø winners’ research spans areas including the restoration of marine environments, combating the effects of climate change on our oceans, improving quality of life of cancer patients and survivors, and better outcomes for children and families in contact with the criminal justice system.
The University of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹Ù꿉۪s 2020 YoungÌýTallÌýPoppy Science Award winners are:
Dr – Research Field: restoring and protecting coastal habitatsÌýfor climate change mitigation
Dr Jones’s research focuses on ‘blue carbon’, which is the uptake and storage of carbon in coastal ecosystems like mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes. She is focused on the potential to increase blue carbon storage and mitigate climate change through activities that restore and protect our coastal habitats.
Dr Jones’ expertise and research contributed to the development of the SA Blue Carbon Strategy, and she works with the Commonwealth government to develop methods for carbon crediting through restoring and protecting coastal ecosystems.
Dr Jones is an Industry Research Fellow, a joint position between the University of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹Ù꿉۪s School of Biological Sciences (Faculty of Sciences) and the SA Department for Environment and Water
Dr Jones is a National Oceanography Centre Industry Research Fellow at the University of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹Ù꿉۪s Faculty of Sciences.
Dr – Research Field: new techniques for oyster reef restoration
Oysters formed enormous reef networks over thousands of kilometres of Australian coastline 200 years ago, underpinning the health and wealth of our coastal seas, but all are extinct today.ÌýThe restoration of our lost oyster reefs can help recover the declining productivity and resilience of our coastal ecosystems.
Dr McAfee is developing new techniques for accelerating the restoration of oyster habitat by boosting the natural processes that are essential to restoration success. He aims to boost the wild recruitment of baby oysters by creating positive interactions between oysters and kelpÌýand using underwater speakers to playÌýnatural marine sounds that attract baby oysters.
Dr McAfee is aÌýpostdoctoral researcher at the University of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø.
Dr : Research Field: ancient DNA techniques to understand past marine species survival
With ongoing climate change, research into Earth's resilience is a matter of urgency, particularly in rapidly melting polar regions. Records of the past are key to understanding how climate change might affect marineÌýlife. By looking at past marine sedimentary records, researchers can learn what organisms existed previously, for how long, and how they adapted to changing ocean conditions.
Dr Armbrecht has optimised sedimentary ancient DNA techniques to investigate important past marine species (particularly plankton) from only a few grams of seafloor sediments. She is applying these techniques to reconstruct marine ecosystems around Antarctica over the last few thousand yearsÌýto gain insights into their existence that could help inform climate change strategies for the future.
Dr Armbrecht's research is supported by the Australian Centre