SCHOLARSHIP: Advancing the monitoring of seagrass dynamics with hyperspectral remote sensing

Seagrasses provide numerous ecological functions and ecosystem services and represent the most extensive coastal blue carbon sink in southern Australia. Monitoring seagrass using traditional methods (e.g. video or diving surveys) is expensive, is limited in spatial and temporal scale, and not necessarily representative of the seascape. Further there are confounding factors whose presence in ‘dark’ benthic habitats interfere with classification (e.g. reefs, bivalve beds, macroalgae, wrack).

This project aims to overcome these monitoring challenges by utilising new remote sensing data to analyse the dynamics of seagrass cover and coral reefs across the Australian territorial waters. South Australian hyperspectral satellite, Kanyini, will be tasked with acquiring imagery over Australian territorial waters for this project. The project will also use data from other hyperspectral platforms including PRISMA, ENMAP, and the recently launched NASA PACE satellite.

This scholarship seeks a motivated postgraduate student with interests in remote sensing and coastal ecology. This scholarship offers $34,210 per year over 3.5 years. The project will use large volumes of satellite remote sensing data and field observations. An ideal candidate will have experience with remote sensing, programming, analysing gridded data, and a working knowledge of Earth Observation physics, ecology, and statistics.

For more information, visit the University of Adelaide website. Applications close 30 June 2024.

This is a collaborative project led by the University of Adelaide in partnership with the University of Queensland and CSIRO, supported by the South Australian Water Corporation and the Department for Environment and Water, and managed by the SmartSat CRC.

Past Opportunities

Dr Peter Woodgate Scholarships for Earth Observation

The late Dr Peter Woodgate was instrumental in establishing the SmartSat CRC before becoming the inaugural SmartSat Chair, serving from August 2019 until his sudden and unexpected passing in December 2022. Dr Woodgate was heavily involved with the space and geospatial industries for over 30 years, acting as a mentor to many leaders in Earth Observation (EO) and space technologies.

To honour Peter’s significant contribution, passion, vision and tireless commitment to the advancement of these industries in Australia and around the world, SmartSat CRC and The Andy Thomas Space Foundation have established the Dr Peter Woodgate Scholarships for Earth Observation. In 2023, two students received scholarships valued at $35,000 per year to undertake their research in Earth Observation:

• Donna Fitzgerald, University of South Australia
  Quantifying dieback of Eucalypt forests using remote sensing
  
• Oliver Hatswell, Flinders University
  Innovative mapping of archaeological landscapes using satellite remote sensing

Applications for the Dr Peter Woodgate Scholarships for Earth Observation are closed for 2023. Please check this page or subscribe to our newsletter for future updates.

Higher Degree Research Scholarships

SmartSat is no longer accepting scholarship applications for this program.

SmartSat supports a number of successful scholarship candidates from our university partners, who are working on applied R&D aligned with our research programs. You can meet our outstanding PhD cohort and find out more about their research here.