Summer & Winter Research Programs

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.

Applications for the 2023 Winter research program have now closed.
 

Microplastic fate in agricultural soil
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: This research project will analyse soil cores taken in agricultural fields for microplastics. The aim of this project is to determine the potential transport of microplastics into deeper soil layers to assess the risk of groundwater contamination. 
Supervisor: Dr Veronika Schacht 

Women’s health: Do lifestyle choices correlate with environmental contaminants exposure
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: This research project will investigate women’s lifestyles choices and use of everyday personal care products and whether these correlate with exposure to harmful contaminants. We will start by surveying and assessing products used in everyday life (such as deodorants, makeup and shampoo) and will analyse these using advanced analytical methods to identify contaminants and potentially harmful constituents.  In this project you will be trained on surveying and sampling techniques, as well as how to extract and analyse samples for chemicals of concern and interpret data. The project is in collaboration with Industry partners and will inform risk of exposure to detected contaminants to inform health protection guidelines. You will work alongside a Post-Doctoral fellow and as part of a team of academic and professional staff.
Supervisor: A/Prof Sarit Kaserzon

Understanding Australian trends in the use of new psychoactive substances
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: New psychoactive substances are compounds which mimic  both licit (e.g. opioids, benzodiazepines) and illicit (e.g. amphetamine, MDMA/ecstasy, cannabis) drugs. This research project involves analysing influent wastewater samples from sites around Australia for new psychoactive substances. This will further our understanding of spatial and temporal trends of these substances in Australia.
Supervisor: Dr Richard Bade

Investigating contaminants in everyday household products  
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: The research project involves using highly advanced analytical instruments and methods to assess compounds of potential concern in products we use everyday in our households such as cleaning products and detergents. In this project you will be trained on how to extract and analyse samples for chemicals of concern as well as data interpretation techniques. The project is in collaboration with a number of European partners and will inform risk of presence and exposure to detected contaminants to inform public health guidelines. You will work along side a Post Doctoral fellow and as part of a team of academic and professional staff.
Supervisor: A/Prof Sarit Kaserzon

Are micro- or nanoplastics release from PVC pipes used in WWTPs distribution systems?
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), as emerging pollutants, have stimulated wide-ranging studies and discussions in environmental fields. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a central point of collection of MPs and NPs from households and industry and for their re-distribution into the environment. Compared to metal plumbing, plastic plumbing is widely applied in WWTPs distribution systems because of its various advantages. Nevertheless, there is growing research on contaminant leaching from plastic pipes, including the decomposition of additives, leaching of metals and polymers, and production of disinfection by-products. Although various studies have reported high amounts of MPs and NPs in WWTPs derived samples, because of the interference from household’s and industry sources, whether these MPs/NPs are release or leach from plastic pipes (e.g., Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes) remains unknown. This short project will assess the potential release of MPs or NPs from PVC plastic pipes used in wastewater distribution systems. The successful applicant will perform laboratory experiments with PVC pipes commercially available in Australia and collect the samples for micro and nanoplastics analysis. The applicant will learn how to perform laboratory experiments and analyse samples.
Supervisor: Dr Elvis Okoffo

Statistical Models and Methods for the Evaluation of Pharmaceuticals Monitoring Schemes in Wastewater-Based Epidemiology
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba or remote work arrangement
Description: The research project involves assessing, evaluating and modelling weekly and seasonal trends of pharmaceuticals measured in wastewater-based epidemiology data. This study aims to rationalize sampling and experimental design methods for identifying the minimum number of samples required to obtain accurate information about temporal trends. A range of sampling strategies will be examined, including (i) targeted days (e.g. weekdays, weekends), (ii) completely random or stratified random sampling, and (iii) a number of sampling strategies informed by known weekly cycles in drug use data. Assessments of sampling schemes will go together with statistical modelling and methodological development considerations, for drawing accurate and useful inference for decision making and policy planning.
Supervisor: A/Prof Phong Thai

Microplastics in air
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: The aim of this project is to examine microplastics of differing sizes and polymetric compositions (PP, PE, PET, PS, PVC, PC, PMMA) in the air around us. We are seeking to understand the concentrations of microplastics and explore the difference between environments, mitigation strategies and inform human exposure estimates.
Supervisor: Stacey O'Brien and Dr Cassie Rauert

Developing a new analytical method to detect ultrashort chain PFASs for biomonitoring
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: On-site at PACE, Woolloongabba
Description: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of man-made organic chemicals used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. Due to their resistance to natural degradation processes, PFASs have been found to be ubiquitous environmental contaminants. As an alternative to problematic conventional long-chain PFASs, productions have shifted to short-chain (<C6) compounds in recent years. These short-chain PFASs are highly mobile and persistent in the environment. The aim of this project is to optimise a currently available analytical method to detect and quantify short(<C6) and ultrashort (<C3)-chain PFASs from biological matrices.    
Supervisor: Dr Pradeep Dewapriya