2024: A year of growth and impact

Our 2024 saw continued research with significant community impact. This was recognised in the form of a record $3.7 million in grant income – more than triple the previous year’s figure, and the highest since the School’s formation in 2020. This includes a $2.25 million three-year project led by Professor Patrick Nunn and funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to explore water security in Pacific coastal communities.

Our researchers provided expertise to parliamentary committees, helped to shape commentary around diverse social issues (including the conflict in Gaza, accessible mental health care in rural communities and more), produced 199 quality publications, and hosted local, national and international events. They also worked to foster the next generation of research talent, supervising 85 master’s and PhD candidates.

Highlights

• Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit core member Associate Professor Dominique Moritz was commissioned by the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council to explore community views on sentencing for those convicted of rape and sexual assault. This led to a submission to the Criminal Justice Legislation (Sexual Violence and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2024, and Associate Professor Moritz and Dr Dale Mitchell appearing before Queensland Parliament’s Community Support and Services Committee, helping to inform and shape Queensland policy in this area.
• Road safety researcher Dr Verity Truelove was awarded a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) fellowship from the Australian Research Council to investigate the psychology behind speeding and how to police it more effectively.
• Dr Carmen Elrick-Barr also received a DECRA fellowship for a project that aims to develop and communicate urgent strategies to assist coastal communities to prepare for and respond to climate hazards.
• The Bioclimatic and Sociotechnical Cities (BASC) Lab worked with the Brazilian Government and the University of Sao Paolo on research into urban climates and artificial intelligence.

Celebrating our staff

• Senior Lecturer Dr Katrina Andrews received the Australian Counselling Association’s inaugural Excellence in Research Award for her work to advance accessible mental health care for rural and remote Australians.
• Dr Dimitra Lattas was named the 2024 Australian Association of Social Workers National Social Work Researcher of the Year for her multi-national study on how forensic social work is taught and applied globally.
• Professor Christian Jones received the UniSC Award for Excellence in Graduate Research Supervision.

Securing the future: Sustainable water supply in Pacific coastal communities

As the impacts of climate change cause sea levels to rise, hundreds of coastal communities across the Pacific are expected to move inland to escape inundation. Many of these communities rely heavily on subsistence agriculture for food and income security, which makes the availability of water resources a critical consideration when deciding where to relocate.

The future water security of coastal villages in Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands is the focus of a $2.25 million grant from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to a team that includes members of the Sustainability Research Centre. Their three-year project will work with communities, local and state governments to help inform sustainable decisions about where to relocate coastal villages, with a specific focus on long-term, equitable access to quality water supply.

Professor Nunn says a ‘perfect storm’ is brewing in the Pacific as governments and other agencies battle to relocate vulnerable communities to suitable locations.

“Pacific islands in Melanesia are experiencing more rapid sea level rise than elsewhere, coupled with large populations, most of which are living on or near the coast,” Professor Nunn says.

“Hundreds of communities are likely to be forced to move inland in the next 20-30 years, and many will need to relocate autonomously.

“Without sufficient water supply to sustain the relocated communities’ water and food security needs, relocation may result in negative health and wellbeing outcomes.

“We must empower these vulnerable communities with the knowledge to make sustainable decisions about their future to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change.”

Empowering local knowledge

Building on existing research, the project will focus on Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands to identify coastal communities to engage with knowledge exchange around water resources. The team will also seek out communities that have relocated in the last 20-30 years and assess what lessons may inform future relocations.

The project will work closely with partner government agencies and other organisations to identify policy synergies and contribute to Pacific countries’ national guidance to coastal communities that need to relocate.

Making a difference: Our research in action

Medicinal cannabis and safe driving: Informing policy and behaviour

The rapid increase in medicinal cannabis use across Australia presents an urgent road safety challenge. While delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) provides therapeutic benefits for many people managing chronic health conditions, it is also known to impair performance on safety-sensitive tasks, including driving.

Research by the MAIC/UniSC Road Safety Research Collaboration (RSRC) is helping to inform a review of Queensland’s drug driving laws, with the goal of addressing the needs and experiences of Queenslanders who rely on medicinal cannabis containing THC and who wish to retain their ability to drive legally and safely.

This has included an independent expert review of more than 5,400 submissions to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and a large study examining THC levels in oral fluid and blood up to 24 hours post consumption. Supported by funding from MAIC, this research aims to determine whether clear, evidence-based guidance can be provided to medicinal cannabis patients on how long to wait before driving.

• Since 2022, the RSRC has completed several experimental studies examining the effects of THC on cognitive functioning, driving performance, and road safety among medicinal cannabis patients.
• The RSRC’s research program is generating evidence to inform Queensland’s policy and legislative reform of drug driving laws in a way that is grounded in science and protects public safety.

Designing cooler cities

In urban areas, the built environment traps and retains heat, which leads to higher temperatures, increased heatwave risks and higher energy use, along with impacts to human health and comfort. Green infrastructure – such as trees, parks and green roofs – can mitigate urban heat, but evidence-based guidance on how to best deploy this infrastructure has been limited. Without this knowledge, urban planners and policymakers lack the tools needed to design climate-resilient cities.

A research partnership between the Bioclimatic and Sociotechnical Cities Lab (BASC Lab) and the Sunshine Coast Council (SCC) is working to bridge this gap. Focused on key areas within the Sunshine Coast region, the project assessed the optimal size, spacing, and types of trees needed to achieve tangible cooling benefits, and highlighted how urban planning can improve the adaptive capacity of urban environments through smarter and more deliberate integration of greenery.

• Drawing directly on data and modelling from the project, SCC secured $3.2 million from the Australian Government’s Disaster Ready Fund to expand tree canopy cover and increase shade across the region, an investment that will bring long-term cooling and health benefits to communities.
• The project’s reach extended beyond local policy into health and environmental research, as UniSC modelling data has also been used to inform the development of the HeatWatch app tailored for the Sunshine Coast. The app is developed by the University of Sydney’s Heat and Health Research Centre.

Resources

Download the report (PDF)