A healthy planet

Agriculture

Our vast breadth of expertise spans all fields of 21st Century farming needed to feed our country and the world. We research the sustainable use of our lands and waters that will enhance local, national and global food security, build innovative cropping and livestock practices and gather sophisticated scientific and economic evidence to help us improve and support modern precision agriculture.

Atmosphere and oceans

We study the weather. From the simplest cloud to complex tropical cyclones, extreme rainfall and fire weather, we use and devise the latest computer modelling on the world’s fastest supercomputers to understand the complexity of Earth’s weather systems and predict how they may behave in our uncertain future.

Biodiversity and conservation biology

Our cities and towns are home to many native plants and animals. We search for ways to ensure spaces designed for human habitation can also be safe reservoirs for our wildlife, enhancing and protecting the biodiversity of our urban environments.

Climate and climate change

We examine Earth’s past climates and the effects of today’s rapidly changing climates on agriculture, biodiversity and human societies. We use our scientific expertise to find just and equitable responses to the environmental, economic and social challenges and catastrophes caused by transformations in our atmosphere and weather.

Earth science and physical geography

We examine Earth’s geology and the physical processes that continue to shape our planet. From its core to its crust, we measure our how Earth has evolved over time, how humans have affected and benefited from its vast energies, and how a modern understanding of geology, geothermal energy, solid earth dynamics, tectonics and geochemistry will help us understand our planet’s past and tackle modern challenges.

Ecology and evolution

We use natural and lab experiments and the latest computer modelling to understand the ecology and evolution of plants and animals in the wild. From how fungi breach human defence systems to Australian wildflower communities, evolutionary ecology of birds, and tackling insect pests, we study how living things interact with natural and human-influenced environments, and how each influences the morphological, molecular and behavioural evolution of the other.

Food sciences

Forest sciences

We study forest ecosystems and the influence of fire, water, animal ecology and climate change on changing forest dynamics. We use our knowledge to develop sustainable and renewable wild and urban forests.

Indigenous knowledges

Pollution and air quality

We research the composition of the air we breathe and how natural and human-derived pollution and contaminants affect human and environmental health at local and regional scales.

Sustainable technology

Our focus on chemical processes to evolve sustainable methods of creating, storing and distributing sustainable and renewable energy is grounded in our work in rare metal chemistry, supramolecular inorganic chemistry, chemical sensors and technological devices, precision agriculture, organic and inorganic chemistry, synthetic chemistry, and renewable energy.

Urban greening

We create and share knowledge in smart design, construction and maintenance of green spaces, including trees, parks and gardens, green roofs throughout urban landscapes and cities, and how they can protect and enhance the biodiversity of our native plants and animals.