Research Spotlights
As the global demand for reliable, low-carbon energy alternatives accelerates, nuclear power is stepping back into the spotlight. But behind the scenes of this energy transition lies a critical scientific imperative: ensuring the absolute safety of nuclear materials at every stage of their lifecycle. Postgraduate Researcher and AINSE SAAFE Scholar …
Lung cancer in Australia Lung cancer is one of Australia’s biggest killers. It is the fourth-most commonly diagnosed cancer and has the highest mortality rate of any cancer. Early detection is crucial, but current diagnostic methods face significant limitations. Current imaging techniques The first step in lung cancer diagnostics is …
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, prognosis remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for more precise and effective treatment strategies. Targeted radionuclide therapies (TRTs) offer a promising new approach by delivering highly potent radiation directly …
AINSE Pathway scholar Jennifer Tinker is uncovering the secrets of Trichoplax adhaerens—an ancient, radiation-resistant marine organism—and what its resilience could mean for future advancements in human health, space exploration, and cancer biology. Jennifer’s Honours research, conducted in collaboration with La Trobe University and ANSTO, investigates how Trichoplax adhaerens—one of the …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith Beneath abandoned mine sites, a silent chemical threat lingers. When sulfide-rich rocks are exposed to air and water during mining, they trigger acid mine drainage—acidic runoff that releases toxic elements like arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) into surrounding soil and water.This contamination can persist for decades after …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith Have you ever wondered what the main risks of space travel are? Hollywood films like The Martian and Apollo 13 often portray the dramatic risks of space travel, such as mechanical failures, life support issues, and unpredictable space weather. However, as astronauts journey far from home, venturing …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith In the quest to unravel one of life’s greatest mysteries—how it all began—scientists are looking beyond our planet, to the vastness of space, in search of the molecular seeds that might have sown life on Earth. One key stop on that journey is Titan—Saturn’s largest moon. For …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith Anthropomorphic climate change is weakening the resilience of globally significant forests by altering their temperature and aridity. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is particularly at risk, with longer, more intense bushfire seasons threatening this sensitive ecosystem. Amid ongoing climatic stress and ecological decline, important questions are …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan Anthropogenic-driven climate change has extended the duration of Australia’s annual fire seasons, wreaking havoc on agricultural crops, wildlife, and homes. The 2019-2020 bushfires, which scorched over seventeen million hectares and claimed the lives of over one billion animals, provide a stark example of …
Identifying historical ecological baselines and understanding subsequent variability over appropriate timescales is vital for informing sustainable land-management and ecological restoration. The lower-Birrarung (Yarra River) billabongs, located in metropolitan Melbourne, are a series of lowland floodplain wetlands which have been culturally constructed and stewarded by Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung over millennia.
Patrick Kennedy’s PhD, in collaboration with ANSTO, AINSE, and the University of University of Melbourne, utilises sedimentary archives from these billabongs to reconstruct pre- and post-British Invasion ecosystem dynamics. Patrick is assessing how vegetation, hydrology, and fire regimes have responded to shifts in land management practices over time by analysing pollen, charcoal, grain size, and ITRAX XRF scanning data. The palaeoecological reconstruction supports Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung knowledge that Billabong Country was maintained and cared for before British Invasion. The research further identifies post-invasion shifts associated with grazing, clearing, flow regulation, and urbanisation.
Co-designed with Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (WWWCHAC) and Melbourne Water, the reconstructions provide culturally grounded narratives of historical ecological change and long-term Care for Country practices. By comparing pre- and post-Invasion ecological states in a culturally constructed floodplain system, this work demonstrates the value of billabong sediments for understanding colonial impacts on Country and informing Indigenous-led restoration, including ongoing WWWCHAC Narrap Care for Country initiatives.
AINSE is proud to support Patrick as he completes his PhD, contributing important insights into the ecological history of the Birrarung and informing Indigenous-led restoration and Caring for Country. His research embodies what lies at the heart of scientific discovery: collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of diverse ways of knowing.
Understanding the Waters Beneath: Researching the Roper River and Cambrian Aquifer – Riley Nicholson
Riley is a PhD candidate at Griffith University supervised by Prof Matthew Currell with Dr Christopher Ndehedehe, Dr Dioni Cendón (ANSTO) and Dr Elisabetta Carrara (BoM) as co-supervisors. His collaborative research is part of an ARC linkage project partnering with the Northern Land Council and Environment Centre NT and focuses on the culturally and environmentally significant Roper River, including the Cambrian Limestone Aquifer which sustains it.
His research combines groundwater isotopes, geochemistry, and environmental DNA to improve the conceptual understanding of this highly connected groundwater-surface water system. The aquifer is facing increasing development pressure from rapidly expanding mining and agricultural industries, which could threaten the health of the Roper River.
“Working collaboratively with Mangarrayi Traditional Owners is a key component of the research, and I have been fortunate enough to spend a significant amount of time on-Country with Mangarrayi People during fieldwork,” Riley says. “This experience has deepened my understanding of the system, but more importantly, helped to direct the research toward questions that matter for the people most connected to this iconic river system.”
Riley says receiving the postgraduate research award from AINSE has allowed him to gain some hands-on lab experience and given him a much greater appreciation of the science behind the isotope data generated at ANSTO. “I also cannot speak highly enough of the people at ANSTO – with a real passion for the work they do and a genuine willingness to share their knowledge and experience,” Riley adds.
AINSE is proud to support Riley as he completes his PhD, fostering the collaboration and knowledge-sharing that are at the heart of scientific discovery.
As the global demand for reliable, low-carbon energy alternatives accelerates, nuclear power is stepping back into the spotlight. But behind the scenes of this energy transition lies a critical scientific imperative: ensuring the absolute safety of nuclear materials at every stage of their lifecycle. Postgraduate Researcher and AINSE SAAFE Scholar …
Lung cancer in Australia Lung cancer is one of Australia’s biggest killers. It is the fourth-most commonly diagnosed cancer and has the highest mortality rate of any cancer. Early detection is crucial, but current diagnostic methods face significant limitations. Current imaging techniques The first step in lung cancer diagnostics is …
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, prognosis remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for more precise and effective treatment strategies. Targeted radionuclide therapies (TRTs) offer a promising new approach by delivering highly potent radiation directly …
AINSE Pathway scholar Jennifer Tinker is uncovering the secrets of Trichoplax adhaerens—an ancient, radiation-resistant marine organism—and what its resilience could mean for future advancements in human health, space exploration, and cancer biology. Jennifer’s Honours research, conducted in collaboration with La Trobe University and ANSTO, investigates how Trichoplax adhaerens—one of the …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith Beneath abandoned mine sites, a silent chemical threat lingers. When sulfide-rich rocks are exposed to air and water during mining, they trigger acid mine drainage—acidic runoff that releases toxic elements like arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) into surrounding soil and water.This contamination can persist for decades after …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith Have you ever wondered what the main risks of space travel are? Hollywood films like The Martian and Apollo 13 often portray the dramatic risks of space travel, such as mechanical failures, life support issues, and unpredictable space weather. However, as astronauts journey far from home, venturing …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith In the quest to unravel one of life’s greatest mysteries—how it all began—scientists are looking beyond our planet, to the vastness of space, in search of the molecular seeds that might have sown life on Earth. One key stop on that journey is Titan—Saturn’s largest moon. For …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith Anthropomorphic climate change is weakening the resilience of globally significant forests by altering their temperature and aridity. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is particularly at risk, with longer, more intense bushfire seasons threatening this sensitive ecosystem. Amid ongoing climatic stress and ecological decline, important questions are …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan Anthropogenic-driven climate change has extended the duration of Australia’s annual fire seasons, wreaking havoc on agricultural crops, wildlife, and homes. The 2019-2020 bushfires, which scorched over seventeen million hectares and claimed the lives of over one billion animals, provide a stark example of …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan For decades, conventional X-rays have been invaluable in clinical settings, enabling doctors and radiographers to gain critical insights into patients’ health. While traditional X-rays are still widely used, they are limited in the depth of information they can provide. New, advanced multimodal techniques, …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan Medical radiation procedures, such as diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy, are critical in modern healthcare, providing life-saving detection and treatment tools for people suffering from diseases like cancer. Recent technological advancements have led to a new generation of radiotherapy treatments that promise to …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan The agricultural industry is constantly under threat from fungal pathogens that infect important plant crops like tomatoes, bananas, and cotton. In response, plants have developed new defence mechanisms, fuelling an ongoing arms race against these invaders as they, in turn, develop new ways …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan The Antarctic ice sheet holds 61% of all the fresh water on Earth. How this ice sheet is responding to climate warming remains the biggest source of uncertainty in determining future global sea levels. Interpreting clues from the past ice margins is critical …
By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide, claiming the lives of millions of people each year. One of the first-line treatments of cancer is chemotherapy: powerful drugs that attack cancer cells and prevent their spread. Historically, the main …
by Georgia Barrington-Smith, 31st October 2024 The Environmental History of the Great Barrier Reef, as told by a Giant Clam Shell Although archaeology has made waves on land, we know comparatively little about the history beneath our shores. A few centuries ago, the Earth experienced a Little Ice Age (LIA) …
by Georgia Barrington-Smith, 11th October 2024 How Pipelines Impact the Marine Food Web AINSE’s focus for October is Oceans Month, which we are kicking off by spotlighting Alexandra (Alex) Bastick: an Honours student from Charles Sturt University, AINSE Pathway Scholar, and emerging young voice in environmental research! With our oceans …
About AINSE
The Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE Ltd.) is an integral organisation for enhancing Australia’s and New Zealand’s capabilities in nuclear science, engineering, and related research fields by facilitating world-class research and education.
AINSE offers a range of programs and services to its members, including generous domestic and international conference support, scholarships for honours & postgraduate students and Early Career Researchers, and intensive undergraduate education schools. These benefits aim to foster scientific advancement and promote an effective collaboration between AINSE members and ANSTO.
We respectfully acknowledge the Dharawal nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which AINSE is located.
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