The Summer and Winter Research Programs provide students with an opportunity to gain research experience working alongside some of the university’s leading academics and researchers.
Find out more information about the research program, applications open 23 September
2025 Summer Research projects:
Unveiling Urban Lifestyles: A Wastewater Analysis Adventure
By examining what flows beneath the city streets, we can uncover fascinating insights into the daily lives and habits of different communities. This project aims to explore whether there are differences in consumption patterns across various neighbourhoods within a large metropolitan area and to determine if these differences are related to socio-economic factors. The project will involve analysing wastewater samples collected from diverse neighbourhoods, each representing different socio-economic backgrounds. Advanced analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry and chromatography, will be used to decode the chemical signatures in the samples. By correlating this data with socio-economic indicators like income levels, education, and population density, we aim to identify consumption patterns and disparities between different socio-economic groups.
Supervisor: Dr Rory Verhagen
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Mass quantification of micro and nanoplastics at wastewater treatment plants
Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a crucial role in the collection and redistribution of plastic particles from both households and industries, contributing to their presence in the environment. Previous studies investigating the levels of plastics in WWTPs, and their removal rates have primarily focused on polymer type, size, shape, colour, and particle count, while comprehensive understanding of the mass concentration of plastic particles, particularly those <1 µm (nanoplastics), remains unclear and lacking. This short project will assess the mass concentration of micro and nanoplastics in wastewater samples collected from three WWTPs across Brisbane. The successful applicant will perform laboratory experiments by extracting micro and nanoplastics for analysis. The applicant will learn how to perform laboratory experiments and analyse samples.
Supervisor: Dr Rory Verhagen & Dr Elvis Okoffo
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Investigating pets health. Are domestic dogs and cats exposed to harmful environmental contaminants?
This research project aims to investigate if domestic pets are exposed to harmful environmnetal conntaminants that may adversley impact their wellbeing and health. The project is in collaboration with a veteranian service and will explore urine samples from pet animals and investigate associations with disease, providing a deeper understanding of the health and wellbeing of our beloved pets.
The student will learn and apply methods for analysis of bio-samples for contaminants, data analysis and interpretation.
Supervisor: A/Professor Sarit Kaserzon
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Evaluating drug and pharmaceutical exposure in serum and wastewater
The student will work together with experienced researchers to extract and analyse serum samples to understand community exposure to illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals. The data obtained from this will be compared with that from wastewater to understand how complementary these datasets are. Overall, the student will help to establish temporal trends covering decades. This will aid in understanding the dynamics of the licit and illicit Australian drug market.
Supervisor: Dr Richard Bade & Dr Sandra Nilsson
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Exposure to plastic additive chemicals through fabrics made of synthetic fibres
Use gas chromatograph and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to analyse skin wipes to measure the dermal exposure to plastic additive chemicals such as bisphenols and phthalates. Samples will include vulval swabs from a gynaecology clinic to probe the relationship between these chemicals and lesions.
Supervisor: Dr Ian Zammit
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Improved monitoring of human exposure to hazardous chemical pollutants
An estimated 9 million annual premature deaths (16% of all deaths globally) are linked to chemical pollution. With a continuous influx of new compounds, assessing potential risks becomes challenging. Existing exposure monitoring methods primarily target known harmful chemicals, neglecting emerging unknown pollutants. Hence, new advanced analytical methods that can detect and identify emerging contaminants are vital to safeguard Australians. This project seeks to establish an advanced analytical workflow for identifying unknown pollutants in human and environmental samples. The refined workflow aligns with the Australian government's chemical management roadmap, enhancing accuracy and precision in monitoring chemical pollution.
Supervisor: Dr Pradeep Dewapriya
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Investigating PFAS and Unknown Contaminants in Bottled Water
This research project aims to investigate the presence of PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," in bottled water in Australia using advanced high-resolution mass spectrometry techniques. We will also explore the potential leaching of PFAS from the bottles into the water. Through a comprehensive non-target study, we will identify both known and unknown PFAS contaminants, providing a deeper understanding of the safety and quality of bottled water.
Supervisor: Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)
Investigating nicotine use in a major city over time
The research project involves assessing and evaluating weekly and seasonal trends of nicotine biomarkers measured in wastewater samples from a major city in Australia. This study aims to identify the changes of usage over time to assess the behavoural responses to sociatal situation over time.
Supervisor: A/Professor Phong Thai
Hours: 20-36 hours per week
Duration: 13 January - 21 February 2025
Location: UQ Dutton Park (20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba)