University of Adelaide Tall Poppy Award winner’s trick to woo oysters to Glenelg Reef

Enticing oysters back into local waters will take more than just the new Glenelg reef, but one Adelaide Uni researcher has struck on an award-worthy way of doing it.

Seductive sounds of the sea are being used to attract baby oysters to the new Glenelg reef.

University of Adelaide marine ecologist Dr Dominic McAfee has discovered recordings of natural reef sounds, mainly the “crackling chorus” of snapping shrimp, can be used to multiply the settling of baby oysters onto reefs.

“Enticing oysters to our constructed reefs helps accelerate their recovery,” he said.

“Much like trees in a forest, oysters grow complex structures that are home to a great variety of marine animals, providing the bedrock for healthy marine ecosystems.”

The Australian Ocean Lab, which aims to help oceans through technology, provided custom-made underwater speakers for summer experiments at Glenelg and Windara shellfish restoration reefs and the Port River.

The speakers will be deployed again once the water warms up.

Dr McAfee is among 10 researchers receiving SA Tall Poppy Science Awards this week.

The Australian Institute of Policy and Science created the awards to celebrate high achievers and encourage students to follow in the footsteps of award recipients.

TALL POPPIES OF SA SCIENCE AWARDS FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS:

Hannah Wardill, NHMRC CJ Martin Biomedical Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide

Hannah Wardill, NHMRC CJ Martin biomedical research fellow, the University of Adelaide – supportive cancer care, gastroenterology, oncology:

There is an ever-growing number of people surviving cancer, and as such, we are starting to understand the long-term consequences of this disease and its harsh treatment. These consequences can be physical, psychosocial and financial.

Hannah Wardill’s research aims to improve the quality of life of people living with or beyond cancer through personalised and proactive supportive care solutions that target common multiple problems in parallel. She is currently investigating the benefits of faecal transplants in people with blood cancer and will soon be starting a large clinical trial to evaluate medicinal cannabis in people with advanced cancer.

Hannah has spoken at several public events including at Raising the Bar and the “Would I lie to You” scientific myths game show event. She has also given keynote addresses at the opening of St Mary’s STEM Centre and at the 2020 SACE Merit Ceremony.

Dr Wardill completed her PhD in 2016 at the University of Adelaide. She is currently NHMRC CJ Martin Biomedical Research Fellow and Lead of the Supportive Oncology Research Group – The University of Adelaide (affiliated with: SAHMRI and University Medical Centre Groningen).

Yee Lian Chew, Mary Overton Senior Research Fellow, Flinders University.

Yee Lian Chew, Mary Overton senior research fellow, Flinders University – neuroscience

Dr Yee Lian Chew seeks to uncover new treatments for chronic pain, a debilitating condition affecting 20% of Australians. Opioids – the most common treatment for chronic pain – are highly-problematic due to addiction and reduced efficacy over long-term use, thus new therapeutics are urgently required.

An important property of pain-sensing brain cells is that they sensitise, i.e. their excitability can be increased, a key factor in the onset of long-lasting pain. My work uses the brain of the nematode worm as an experimental system to identify the neurochemical signals that drive pain sensitisation, in order to discover new therapeutic targets against chronic pain.

Yee Lian has communicated her science through Soapbox Science Sydney 2019, Pint of Science (online, 2021) and the ABC Science Elevator Pitch 2020. She has delivered a public lecture through the University of the 3rd Age to 100 retirees and visited Roma Mitchell High School as a member of a panel on Women in STEM.

Yee Lian was awarded her PhD from the University of Sydney in 2015. She is currently the Mary Overton Senior Research Fellow (supported by Flinders Foundation) and NHMRC Fellow, at Flinders University.

Alice Jones, Research Fellow, The University of Adelaide.

Alice Jones, research fellow, the University of Adelaide – marine and coastal ecology

Dr Alice Jones studies the human impacts on coastal habitats and nature-based solutions to climate change.

Her 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’ research and expertise 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. She volunteered as a trainer on the CAPSTAN postgraduate training voyages aboard Research Vessel Investigator in 2019 and 2020, providing a unique opportunity for STEM students to experience at-sea research. On Twitter (@Alice_R_Jones) she posts regularly about climate change, marine ecology, and the challenges and opportunities of working in a STEM academic career.

Dr Alice Jones received her PhD in 2012 at The University of Southampton. She is currently a National Oceanography Centre Industry Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide in the Faculty of Sciences.

Linda Armbrecht, Research Fellow/ARC DECRA Fellow, The University of Adelaide.

Linda Armbrecht, research fellow/ARC DECRA fellow, the University of Adelaide – marine sedimentary ancient DNA

With ongoing climate change, research into Earth’s resilience is a matter of urgency, particularly in rapidly melting polar regions. Key to understanding how climate change might affect marine life are records of the past. We can look at marine sedimentary records to find out who existed before our time, for how long and how well they were adapted to the surrounding ocean conditions.

Dr Linda Armbrecht has optimised sedimentary ancient DNA techniques so that we can now investigate important past marine species (particularly plankton) from only a few grams of sea floor sediments. She is now applying these techniques to reconstruct marine ecosystems around Antarctica for the last few thousand years.

Linda’s research has been featured in a short film “Drilling for DNA” produced by Lee Stevens from the American Museum of Natural History. She has her own website called “Paleoplanktonics” and has written several blog posts on her work in Antarctica, including a series called “postcards from Antarctica”.

Linda was awarded her PhD in 2015 at Macquarie University. She is currently a Research Fellow/ARC DECRA Fellow at the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, the University of Adelaide

Vitomir Kovanovic, Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia

Vitomir Kovanovic, senior lecturer, University of South Australia – educational technology and learning analytics

How do we best use digital technologies for learning? While twenty years ago students used handwritten notes and textbooks, today, they are instead using their laptops, learning from digital textbooks and YouTube videos.

Dr Vitomir Kovanovic works in the learning analytics field, which involves analysing student data from digital technologies. His aim is to use data mining and machine learning to understand how students use these technologies and help them in their learning.

Vitomir is also a passionate STEM educator, developing a Cluster analysis MOOC for newcomers to learning analytics, a learning analytics workshop for K-12 school teachers and the ‘SoLAR Spotlight’ learning analytics webinar series. He also codeveloped the EPIC challenges Program, an 8-week program for High Schools students designed to developed creativity and design thinking to real world challenges inspired by NASA.

Vitomir completed his PhD in 2017 at the University of Edinburgh, School of Informatics.

He is currently a Senior Lecturer at Education Futures, University of South Australia.

Brenton Hordacre, Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia.

Brenton Hordacre, senior lecturer, University of South Australia – neurological rehabilitation

Stroke is a global leading cause of permanent adult disability. With one in four people over the age of 25 experiencing a stroke in their lifetime, we need to identify better solutions to improve stroke recovery.

Recovery from stroke is underpinned by neuroplasticity, which describes an ability of the brain to re-wire itself and form new connections. Dr Brenton Hordacre discovered that early stroke recovery is supported by a very brief, spontaneous, increase in neuroplasticity within weeks of injury. He currently investigates, tests and rapidly translates innovative solutions to re-open a period of enhanced neuroplasticity to enable greater recovery from stroke.

Dr Hordacre communicates regularly with stroke patients, their families, senior citizens and clinicians. This has included invited presentations to stroke support groups, lecture evenings, public presentations and clinical skills workshops with clinicians. He has also hosted and mentored several high school students and presented on the human brain to kindergarten children.

Brenton completed his PhD in December 2014 at Flinders University.

He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the University of South Australia.

Catia Malvaso, Research Fellow, The University of Adelaide

Catia Malvaso, research fellow, the University of Adelaide – child protection

Dr Catia Malvaso works to identify evidence-based approaches to prevent children and young people from coming into contact with the criminal justice system, and to improve the outcomes of those who do.

Dr Malvaso focuses more specifically on identifying when, how and for whom experiences of child maltreatment and other adversities lead to offending behaviours in adolescence and adulthood. She collects and analyses data from multiple sources in order to inform prevention strategies that can improve outcomes for children, their families, and communities.

Catia’s outreach and engagement begins with children and young people in youth detention and in out-of-home care in order to better understand their situations and to advocate for better opportunities and outcomes on their behalf. She works closely with government and non-government policy and practice partners to communicate research through infographics, policy workshops, and public forums. She has developed and delivered training packages for practitioners on attachment and intergenerational trauma and delivered workshops on how maltreatment and trauma impact child development and behaviour.

Catia was awarded her PhD in 2018 at the University of Adelaide. She is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide.

Ashley Hopkins, Senior Research Fellow, Flinders University – Precision oncology

Ashley Hopkins, senior research fellow, Flinders University – precision oncology

One in three Australian’s get cancer during their lives. There are many emerging treatments for cancer however the response of specific patients can differ greatly, both in terms of benefit and side-effects. As a pharmacist and clinical epidemiologist, Dr Ashley Hopkins aims to unleash the potential of emerging big data and machine learning to empower patients and oncologists to better understanding the pros and cons of cancer treatments.

Dr Hopkins applies high-level data science skills and collaborates with key international partners enabling access to comprehensive data from both randomised controlled trials and routine care. He uses these to undertake research predicting who will and will not benefit from anti-cancer therapies.

Dr Hopkins communicates is work widely through media including print media such as the Advertiser, Herald Sun and more than ten other national newspapers and radio including 103.7FM, 3AW, 4BC and 2GB. He has established a consumer advisory group for his lab that meets quarterly. He is also an avid cyclist and fundraiser who has contributed to several Cancer Council fundraising events.

Ashley completed his PhD in 2016 at the University of South Australia. He is now a Senior Research Fellow at Flinders University (College of Medicine and Public Health).

Eddie Banks, Senior Research Fellow, Flinders University.

Eddie Banks, senior research fellow, Flinders University – hydrology and hydrogeology

Freshwater resources are finite and there’s an increasing proportion of the global population that are struggling to access safe and reliable sources of water.

Dr Eddie Banks investigates the availability and long-term sustainability of freshwater resources and works to understand the physical processes that lead to their existence. He supports policy and decision makers, natural resource managers, landholders and the community to advance sustainable water resource management. He uses hydrogeophysics and environmental tracers to map aquifer systems and groundwater residence times.

Eddie has been a part of humanitarian outreach projects with Geoscientists without Borders in Arnhem Land Australia and Laos PDR where he has shared his expert knowledge and research to address real-world water crises and support access to sustainable water supplies for those in need. He is also a team member of the UPGro Programme: Hidden Crisis- unravelling current failures for future success in rural water supply in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Eddie completed his PhD in 2012 at Flinders University and is currently a senior research fellow at Flinders University with the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training and the College of Science and Engineering.

Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, The University of Adelaide.

Dominic McAfee, postdoctoral researcher, the University of Adelaide – marine ecology

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 are all but extinct today. The restoration of our lost oyster reefs can help recover the declining productivity and resilience of our coastal ecosystems, but how do you restore a marine ecosystem that nobody knows even existed?

Dr Dominic McAfee is developing new techniques for accelerating the restoration the 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 kelp and playing natural marine sounds that attract baby oysters.

Dominic has presented at five public forums on the State’s oyster restoration program, reaching hundreds of coastal residents and increasing public support for the State Government’s restoration program. He has written three articles for The Conversation and has presented a TEDx Talk on “Restoring the reefs we never knew we lost”, leading to multiple radio interviews and presentations at schools.

Dominic completed his PhD in 2018 at Macquarie University, Sydney. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Adelaide.