Research
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences has a long and distinguished tradition of excellence in research and, intimately linked to this, has an enviable reputation as a provider of advanced research training. Much of this research is unique in Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Because of this established expertise, many students come to UNE to undertake research degrees, such as the Master and PhD programs. The Faculty is committed to encouraging the highest standards in research, and to providing the best possible research culture which allows scholars to work in a focused way, without distraction and with the necessary resources.
 |
Your opportunity to learn and discover side-by-side with leading world-class researchers. |
 |
Undergraduate Research |
Postgraduate Research |
|
We invite you to an exciting journey of learning and discovery. Talk to your lecturers about their research and how you may integrate your interests with your study plan. Did you know that involvement in research projects will greatly improve your employability? Employers want someone with proven abilities to work effectively on a project and to see it to completion. They want people who communicate well, in writing and speaking, and who have the confidence to express their own thoughts to others. All this is accomplished most effectively in a research project. Here some tips to get you started on research and creative activity:
|
Our research embraces many different disciplines, from the biomedical to the humanities. We invite you to contact our world-class researchers with your ideas for a potential PhD or research Master project. Start by writing down your ideas. What are you curious about to investigate? What would be the significance and relevance of this research? How would you propose to go about it? What outcomes would you hope to achieve? The next step is to find a potential supervisor. A good starting point is a School website which lists research areas and research interests of staff. Another possibility is to look at UNE’s targeted research areas and strategic research priorities. These areas often tackle very complex issues, which are researched by multi-disciplinary teams, many with national and/or international linkages. Finally, you will need to apply for admission to research candidature. Your potential supervisor will assist with advising on the appropriate course and program of study. Further information for prospective research students is available at the Research Services website.
|
The Faculty's expertise in research covers a broad spectrum with just some examples being:
- research related to the tiny human species Homo floresiensis (nicknamed "the Hobbit" by the media)
- involvement with the ARC funded Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Sciences
- Australian Aboriginal languages, Asian literature and performing arts
- 18th, 19th and 20th-century music history, theory and creative practice
- local family and applied history
- gnosticism and early Christianity
- effect of climate and climate change on the geographical distribution of fungi and plant diseases
- biological control and other alternatives to pesticides
- behaviour of polymers in solution and their interaction with small molecules and colloidal matter
- how species perform within their ecosystems particularly in regard to reproductive functions
- theories of nuclear spin relaxation and solid state diffusion
- measurement of whole-farm sustainability over the long term
- fluorescence spectroscopy in studying interactions between proteins involved in cancer aggressiveness
- spatial and temporal variation in marine and estuarine benthic communities
- detection of quantitative trait loci
- non-linear analysis and partial differential equations
- molecular genetics and functional genomics of filamentous fungi
- environmental modelling and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing
- Biomedical Science to support rural mental health
Collaborative research with other institutions, such as the CSIRO, has led to many important projects including participation in high profile Cooperative Research Centres. Through its research the Faculty is able to assist in the advancement of Australia and in the advanced training of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The Schools of the Faculty are actively involved in seeking support from the Australian Research Council resulting in ARC Discovery Projects; Linkage Projects; NHMRC projects; ARC LIEF grants. Staff have also been part of successful bids for research funding in collaboration with other Australian universities.
The academic staff of the Faculty have been recruited world-wide and include many who are internationally recognised leaders in their particular research fields. The Faculty has a long and proud tradition of excellence in teaching and research, and its degrees are recognised internationally.
Facilities
- Electron Microscope Unit
- Zoology Museum
- Museum of Antiquities
- NCW Beadle Herbarium
- School of Environmental and Rural Science facilities
- Bruker AC300 high-field NMR spectrometer
- Astronomical observatory with a Celestron C14 refractor telescope
- Geophysical Observatory
- Four of the University’s rural research properties are within a short distance of the campus.
- The property, ‘Newholme’ is operated as a Natural Resources field laboratory.
- Ideally situated for field work in a range of ages and types of geological formations and vegetation types, including rainforests, acid wetlands, coastal heath and a variety of other pastoral and agricultural systems.
Recent Books by our Researchers
 |
 |
Kangaroo: A Portrait of an Extraordinary Marsupial |