Some of Queensland’s brightest minds are set to fly overseas to tackle global challenges in science, conservation, and the environment through the prestigious Queensland–Smithsonian Fellowship Program.
The Queensland Government program funds Queensland-based professionals to work within a Smithsonian Institution for up to 12 weeks, giving them an opportunity to access sought-after expertise and facilities, while increasing their knowledge and skills in their chosen field.
The program aims to drive scientific advancement and foster global collaboration and innovation, allowing fellows to not only advance their own fields of research but also bring back invaluable knowledge, skills and global networks to Queensland.
The latest Queensland–Smithsonian Fellows are:
Dr Leah Barclay, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead – Design, University of Sunshine Coast, receiving $19,800 for the project titled: Sonic Ecologies: Connecting Bocas Del Toro and K’gari Research Stations.Dr Elizabeth Smyth, Research Officer, James Cook University, receiving $26,200 for the project titled: Tropical Rainforest in Expedition Journals.Dr Catherine Kim, Postdoctoral Researcher, Queensland University of Technology, receiving $23,000 for the project titled: Decoding ocean biodiversity: cryptofauna on the Great Barrier Reef.
Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Kerrie Wilson said the Queensland Smithsonian Fellowship allows Queensland researchers to tap into the significant resources and expertise available at the world’s largest research and museum complex.
“Queensland’s program with the Smithsonian Institution is the only agreement of its kind in Australia, offering a unique opportunity for researchers to collaborate, connect and share mutually beneficial learnings in their chosen fields,” Prof Wilson said.
“I am eager to see the results of these research projects and how the knowledge and skills gained at the Smithsonian Institution can be brought back to the science ecosystem in Queensland.”
Dr Catherine Kim from the Queensland University of Technology will be travelling to the United States later this year to begin her fellowship, focused on her project – Decoding ocean biodiversity: cryptofauna on the Great Barrier Reef.
“It’s an honour to be selected to represent Queensland to develop a partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History,” Dr Kim said.
“I’m most excited to have access to the world class facilities such as the Laboratories of Analytical Biology and learn the latest genetic techniques and data management processes.
“My research will be analysing legacy samples from Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) deployed in the Great Barrier Reef that were collected as a part of the global Census of Coral Reefs project that started almost 15 years ago.
“There is still so much to learn from these ARMS samples about the diversity of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef.”
Since 2001, the Queensland Government has provided more than $1.1 million through the Smithsonian Fellowship Fund to 64 Fellows from universities, science agencies, museums and art galleries across Queensland.
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