Research in the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences

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The School of Earth & Environmental Sciences is committed to excellence in research and teaching in the key areas of geology, geophysics, ecology, evolutionary biology, and landscape science.

The School has over 140 staff, 250 higher degree students, and 100 visitors and titleholders. We offer high quality research training at Honours, Masters and Doctorate levels, and host a large, vibrant group of graduate students. We aim to prepare our graduates for an exciting and diverse range of careers.

The School has a wide range of equipment and facilities, including field stations, some of which are shared with partner organisations. The School is also involved in a number of University research groups with the key groups being the Centre for Tectonics, Resources and Exploration (TRaX) which is part of the University’s Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources, and the Environment Institute.

EES is a participant in several Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) including the Future Farm Industries CRC and is a core partner in the Arid Recovery Reserve Rehabilitation Project and Marine Innovations SA (MISA).

Research Areas:

• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Geology and Geophysics
• Landscape Science

• Institutions with Affiliated Researchers

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Visit the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology website for more information about research laboratories.

Insect Evolution and Ecology, Parasitic Wasps
Professor Andy Austin

Evolution, Systematics and Biodiveristy of Living and Fossil Reptiles
Associate Professor Michael Lee

Population Dynamics; Biodiversity Modelling;Ecosystem Services
Associate Professor Corey Bradshaw

Ecological and Biodiversity Impacts of Climate Change
Professor Barry Brook

Aquatic Ecology; Trophodynamics
Associate Professor Justin Brookes

Mammal Ecology; Pollination Biology; Conservation Biology
Associate Professor Sue Carthew

Marine Ecology: Climate Change and Human Impacts
Associate Professor Sean Connell

Plant Systematics and Evolutionary Ecology
Dr John Conran

Evolutionary Patterns and Ancient DNA
Professor Alan Cooper

Phylogeography; Speciation; Molecular Ecology
Dr Steve Cooper

Vertebrate Systematics and Evolution, Marine and Terrestrial Population Genetics
Professor Steve Donnellan

Terrestrial Plant Ecology
Associate Professor Jose Facelli

Ecology of Phytoplankton and Aquatic Plants
Associate Professor George Ganf

Aquatic Ecology, Especially Estuaries, Fish Biology; Otolith Microchemistry
Associate Professor Bronwyn Gillanders

Phycology (Algae): Taxonomy, Molecular Systematics; Speciation Marine Environment
Dr Frederico Gurgel

Palaeobotany: Evolution of the Australian flora
Professor Robert Hill

Insect Biology, Biodiversity, Evolution and Systematic
Dr John Jennings

Water Quality, Waste Water Treatment, Biotechnology
Associate Professor Bo Jin

Speciation, Biogeography and Gene Flow in Plants
Professor Andy Lowe

Groundspring Evolution and Ecology
Dr Nick Murphy

Ecology and Behaviour of Birds, Plant-Animal Interactions; Fire; Restoration
Associate Professor David Paton

Ecosystem Modelling; Freshwater Ecology
Associate Professor Friedrich Recknagel

Plant Nutrition and Ecotoxicology
Associate Professor Rob Reid

Ecophysiology of Animals and Plants
Professor Roger Seymour

Marsupial Life History, Reproductive Ecology, Population Biology, Disease, Conservation
Dr David Taggart

Ecophysiology of Plants
Dr Jenny Watling

Fish Parasite Interactions
Associate Professor Ian Whittington

Geology and Geophysics

Visit the Geology and Geophysics website for more information about research laboratories.

Crustal Evolution of the Earth as Reflected by Geochemistry and Radiogenic Isotopes
Dr Karin Barovich

Mobility of Metals in the Earth’s Crust and in the Environment
Professor Joël Brugger

Evolution of Soils, Biogeochemistry of Soils in Watersheds, Chemistry and Fate of Nanoparticulates
Associate Professor David Chittleborough

Tectonics, Structural Geology and Geochronology
Dr Alan Collins

Arc Magmatism and Crustal Growth, Petrology, Geochemistry, Isotope Geochemistry and Tectonics
Professor John Foden

Mineral Systems and Magnetics
Professor David Giles

Reconstructing the Evolution of Earth’s Ancient Environment
Dr Galen Halverson

Metamorphic Geology, Structural Geology and Tectonics
Associate Professor Martin Hand

Electrical Geophysics and Magnetotellurics for Crustal and Groundwater Studies
Associate Professor Graham Heinson

Regolith and Landscape Evolution
Dr Steve Hill

Metamorphic Geology,Tectonics and Geochronology
Dr David Kelsey

Economic Mineral Deposits
Professor Ian Plimer

Geomicrobiology and Cycling of Metals in the Environment
Dr Frank Reith

Economic Geology: Analysing and Modelling the Genesis of Mineral Deposits and Their Tectonic Setting
Dr Andreas Schmidt-Mumm

Landscape Science

Acid Sulfate Soils and Water Quality; Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics
Professor Rob Fitzpatrick

Environmental Remote Sensing, Spatial and Temporal Analysis
Associate Professor Megan Lewis

Water, Soils, Plants and Atmosphere – Building Descriptions to Identify the Balance for Use and Conservation
Professor Wayne Meyer

Monitoring and Evaluation in Natural Resource Management
Dr Patrick O’Connor

Spatial Ecology, Decision Support in Natural Resources Management and GIS
Dr Bertram Ostendorf

Institutions with Affiliated Researchers

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

CSIRO Land and Water and SA Water

South Australian Government Departments:

Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH)

Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (SA DWLBC)

Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA)

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)

South Australian Museum

The Royal Zoological Society of South Australia

The State Herbarium of South Australia

More Information

Further details are available, please contact the Faciulty of Sciences office.