Research themes
Our excellence in interdisciplinary research informs innovative solutions to the world's most pressing issues.
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Agricultural and Urban Waste Management
The Agricultural and Urban Waste Management research group aims to improve nutrient and resource recovery by investigating nutrient re-use and recycling and the recovery of other valuable resources from agricultural and urban waste
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Analytics, Modelling and Technology
The Analytics, Modelling and Technology research group focuses on creating opportunities for innovation in big data to support the global efforts towards sustainable intensification of agriculture.
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Animal Production
The group has a unique skillset covering a broad range of applied and fundamental research skills in a range of species including pigs, poultry, dairy cattle, sheep, beef cattle and goats.
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Biodiversity Dynamics Research Group (biodynamos)
Undertaking research on plant evolution and global change, fire management, animal ecology and conservation decision making.
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FLARE Wildfire Research
Understanding and predicting fire behaviour and the impact on human and environmental features in the landscape, with the goal of answering the complex questions facing fire management agencies around the globe.
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Digital Agriculture, Food and Wine
The Digital Agriculture, Food, and Wine group works on the implementation and integration of new and emerging technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence tools on agricultural and food applications from farm to the palate.
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Ecophysiology
Interactions of plants with their environment and the processes that control the functioning of ecosystems in urban and natural environments.
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Environmental Social Science
Understanding how people relate to environments, ecosystems and non-human species, and how this knowledge can support more sustainable forests and cities.
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Fire Ecology and Biodiversity
How fire causes patterns in the landscape, and how plants and animals respond to these patterns.
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Food Chemistry and Microbiology
The Food Chemistry and Microbiology research group at the University of Melbourne conducts research into the composition, structure, function and flavour and aroma of foods and beverages.
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Food Politics and Policy
The Food Politics and Policy research group carries out social science research on a range of issues across food systems, addressing policy issues, power relations and the governance of food systems.
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Forests and Water
Ecohydrology, evapotranspiration and streamflow dynamics, sediment dynamics and geomorphology, catchment evolution, with a particular interest in the hydrologic effects of fire.
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Forest Carbon
Improving knowledge of forest carbon stores and underlying ecosystem processes, including interactions with other forest values (water, biodiversity), and impacts of changing fire and climate regimes.
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Forest Dynamics
Understanding how native forests develop, how they respond to disturbances and climate, and how this knowledge can inform better forest management.
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Forest Ecology and Silviculture
How native forests develop, how they change over time, how they respond to disturbances and climate, and how this knowledge can inform better forest management.
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Forest Molecular Biology and Genetics
Meristem differentiation and pattern formation in the vascular cambium and genetic diversity in relation to wood formation and environmental stress tolerance.
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Green Infrastructure Research Group (GIRG)
Creating and embedding knowledge and technologies in smart design, construction and maintenance of green spaces, trees, parks, rain gardens, green roofs and facades throughout the urban landscape.
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Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change
The Greenhous Gas and Climate Change Group measures, models and mitigates greenhouse gas (N2O, CO2 and CH4) emissions from diverse agricultural systems.
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Hyperspectral and Thermal Remote Sensing Laboratory (HyperSens)
The Hyperspectral and Thermal Remote Sensing Laboratory (HyperSens) focuses on quantitative methods for remote sensing, with main interests on vegetation stress detection, physiological condition and precision agriculture.
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Nutrient Management
The management of nutrients applied in agricultural production systems is a key challenge for sustainable long-term food security under a changing climate.
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Plant Pathology
Plant Pathology focuses on using the latest molecular biology tools combined with a basic disciplinary approach to drive cutting-edge research in host-pathogen relationships, taxonomy and genetic diversity of fungal plant pathogens and development of diagnostics for biosecurity.
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Protein Foods
The Protein Foods group applies a wide range of expertise to assist the food industry with problem solving, value adding, R&D and innovation.
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Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group
Environmental decision making, ecosystem management and conservation biology, emphasising the careful and thoughtful use of quantitative methods and models that underpin ecological inquiry.
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Rural Innovation Research Group
The Rural Innovation Research Group (RIRG) is a social science group that researches and designs innovative pathways for facilitating change and enabling social-ecological resilience.
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Smart Fertilisers
The Smart Fertilisers Group adopts innovative techniques to develop a new generation of inhibitors and controlled-release fertilisers.
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Soil-Plant Microbiomes
The Soil-Plant Microbiomes group explores the diversity, composition and functions of microbiota in soil-plant ecosystems, and uses the microbes to improve the agricultural productivity and environmental health.
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Sustainable Agricultural Production
The Sustainable Agricultural Production research group has internationally recognised expertise in sustainable intensification of crop, pasture and animal production.
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Sustainable and Renewable Forest Products
The Sustainable and Renewable Forest Products Group creates knowledge and builds capability in the innovative uses of sustainably-managed timber resources for high-performance timber products.
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Tree Biotechnology
Utilising trees for the production of valuable natural products such as terpenes and flavonoids.
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Urban Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation
Understanding the ecology of urban environments and how this can be applied for improved conservation management in cities.
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Waterway Ecosystem Research Group (WERG)
Interactions between landscapes and waterways and development of tools for achieving healthy streams and rivers in urban and rural landscapes.