About the School

Professor Paul H.G.M. Dirks, Head of School, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY, Townsville Qld 4811, AUSTRALIA. Ph: +61 (07) 4781 5047 Fax: +61 (07)  4781 5511 e-mail:  paul.dirks@jcu.edu.au CRICOS Provider Code: 00117 J

27 September 2010

To whom it may concern,

Re:  The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at James Cook University.

The University
James Cook University (JCU) has a total enrolment of 15,716 students on all campuses, mainly in Townsville (10,500 students) and Cairns (3,500 students), supported by 1,470 staff.  It provides a wide range of courses that cater for its immediate region, and for a large and growing international clientele.  JCU is recognised internationally for its excellent undergraduate, postgraduate programs and research in Earth and Environmental Sciences that build on its unique geographic setting in tropical northern Australia which offers a stimulating, enjoyable and safe place to study. JCU offers easy access to the diverse ecosystems of tropical Australia, including World Heritage Rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef, and is the gateway to the mineral-rich hinterland of outback Queensland and the South West Pacific.

The School

The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) is a leading research entity in JCU, and plays a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the University’s international profile.  The School’s strategic intent is to be the top research and education centre for the study of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the tropics, and to provide high-quality, internationally competitive courses that reflect the unique environment represented by northern Australia and the SW Pacific region. To this end the School aims to expand knowledge and understanding of the Earth’s complex systems, its natural resources and human interaction with the physical and biological environment, to promote responsible Earth stewardship.

School Profile

Staff and students

• The School has 30 academic staff, 25 research staff, and 44 Adjunct and Associate staff;
• A  total of 1,387 students are enrolled in the School (977 in Townsville; 410 in Cairns) including 136 study abroad students who spend up to one semester at JCU;
• The School enrolls 267 postgraduate students including 116 research MSc or PhD students; about 50% of postgraduate students are international students from the Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Pacific;
• Professor Michael Bird is one of a few Federation Fellows in Queensland  – recognition of his international profile and esteemed research contributions;

Teaching

1. The major research and teaching disciplines in the school are:
   
   
   • Economic Geology and Mineral Exploration
   • Environmental Earth Sciences
   • Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management
   • Fisheries Science and Management
   • Geography and Spatial Sciences
   • Geology, Geodynamics and Tectonics
   • Tropical Urban and Regional Planning
     
     
2. With world recognized programs in Economic geology, the School is one of three major training centres in economic geology and mineral exploration in Australia, and hosts one of three nodes in the national Minerals Geoscience Masters program;
3. The School hosts an internationally recognized Masters of Development Practice degree, focused on the AustralAsian region and funded by the MacArthur Foundation;
4. Numerous field-based teaching courses are available reflecting our unique tropical location, with access to marine and coastal environments, and the vast continental interior;
5. Excellent infrastructure for teaching and research exists and includes: the Advanced Analytical Centre, a Water Quality laboratory, Orpheus Island Research Station, the research vessel James Kirby (~ 20 m long and managed by the School), the Paluma forest research station the Roxmere Field Camp (NW Queensland) and the Australian Canopy Crane Research Facility.

Research

1. The School hosts high-quality, nationally and internationally recognised research entities including the Centre for Disaster Studies, the Centre for Tropical Urban and Regional Planning, the Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre, and the Economic Geology Research Unit;
2. The School has an outstanding publication rate (>135 substantive items in 2008), and in the past few years staff in the School have written or contributed to a number of Book Publications such as:
   
   
   • Climate Change and the Great Barrier Reef; a Vulnerability Assessment
   • Communities Living with Hazards
   • Extreme Events – A Physical reconstruction and Risk Assessment
   • Living in a Dynamic Tropical forest Landscape
   • Mine Wastes – Characterization, Treatment and Environmental Impacts
   • The Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef: Development, Diversity and Change
   • The Impacts of Climate Change on Australian tourism Destinations: Developing adaptation and response strategies – a scoping study.
     
     
3. JCU ranked number two in the Australian University in ISI rankings (citations) for Ecology and Environment – with important contributions from the School;
4. JCU ranked number twelve in the Australian University in ISI rankings (citations) for Geosciences – largely due to this school’s productivity;
5. The School is a major contributor  to 3 out of 5 JCU Areas of Research Strength – Earth Sciences, Tropical Biology and Conservation, and Identity and Place;
6. World recognized research teams focus on the biology, conservation and management of fish, sharks, marine mammals and sea turtles.

Engagement

1. With its applied focus on science the school maintains strong involvement with a wide range of governmental and non-governmental organizations in Australia such as Natural Resource Management Boards, CSIRO and the Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries;
2. Staff actively collaborate with the JCU/CSIRO Tropical Landscapes Joint Venture under the auspices of Australian Tropical Forests Institute on the Cairns campus and the Australian Tropical Sciences and Innovation Precinct on the Townsville campus;
3. The School undertakes commissioned research and collaborative projects for Local State and Federal government as well as local and international non-governmental agencies.  Consultancies and enabling technologies are also done in collaboration with industry.  For example advice to the mining industry on locating new mineral deposits, and remediation of mine wastes;
4. The School has a commitment to indigenous education and research partnerships in indigenous communities especially in Torres Strait, Cape York, and the Townsville and Cairns regions;
5. Staff provide expertise-based input to management of the environment, serving on numerous state, national and international advisory boards, committees and panels;
6. Strong involvement with Australia’s Integrated Marine Observation System nodes such as the Australian Coastal Radar Network (ACORN) and the Australian Acoustic Tracking and Monitoring System (AATAMS).
7. The Federal and State Governments have appointed Prof. Peter Valentine to the Chair of the Wet Tropics Management;

For more information visit our web site at http://www.jcu.edu.au /ees/.

Yours sincerely

Professor Paul H.G.M. Dirks